Magnetism
by LoveShinobi-Angelv
Summary: When war and death are the only things you know, love becomes a lot more complicated. - Rated for Sexual Content-  Akito x Natsumi  Note: Contains OCs
1. Imprisonment

**A/N****: Hello, Hello! We are so excited! THIS is the story all you Whirlwind fans have been waiting for. Now, the whole story was actually made for Natsumi and Akito, so just bear with us. It's always got to start with our number one pairing, Gaara and Sakura. **

**We really hope you all like this story, and as of right this moment, it is the longest chapter story we have ever written, and we are very proud of it. Though there are a few characters that are not in it from Whirlwind, they are just as good as the original bunch. So look forward to it!**

**Now the basis of this story is pretty much the whole ninja world is at war with one another, even Suna and Konoha. And if you just read, you will find out why. **

**Though, we will admit, the inspiration of this story was because we **_**really**_** wanted to write fight scenes between Akito and Natsumi, since we didn't get to in Whirlwind. So enjoy Part One of Magnetism! And please **

**REVIEW**

**And tell us what you think.**

**Magnetism**

_Chapter One_

-Imprisonment-

Sakura sat up in her makeshift cot when she heard the large metal door to the dungeon open. She had been stuck here for a week, although it felt like much longer, and had already lost all hope of ever escaping. Not that she hadn't tried, because she had. But they had sealed her chakra, and only gave her enough food and water to keep her barely alive and healthy. It was also taking a long time for the wounds she had received before capture to heal.

She had a bruise on her jaw from the hit that had knocked her out, and several small cuts on her arms and legs from kunai and other such weapons. She stood up when she heard footsteps coming down the corridor, wanting to be alert when her captors arrived at her cell. Idly she wondered if they were going to take her away for another interrogation attempt, but thought it too soon. They had only done so once before, and had said they would give her a few days to think about what she was going to tell them. If her calculations were correct, she still had at least one more day before they took her away again.

It wasn't like she would tell them anything anyways. They were in the middle of a war with all the other countries for crying out loud. And these second rate ninjas didn't have the same techniques for interrogation that the Yamanaka Clan did, so it wasn't like they would get anything about Konoha from her any time soon.

She saw the two guards that had taken her away for interrogation enter the hallway that led to her cell then, but this time they were not alone. Between them, hanging limply by his arms, their feet being drug on the floor, was a man. It was too dark in the underground cavern for her to make out any significant details about him, other than the fact that he was male, most likely taller than her, not from her village, and unconscious.

They stopped at her cell, giving her a warning look. "Better behave yourself Pinky." The bulkier of the two said, laughing a bit.

"Yeah, we brought you a little friend. Should be pretty interesting when he wakes up and sees who his new cell mate is. Hope you two get along." The other, leaner one, smirked. They unlocked her cell and as one stood guard the other heaved the heavy body into the middle of the prison. "Enjoy." He waved, leaving the cell. They locked it once more and continued back down the way they came.

When she was sure they were gone, and heard the door slam, the bolt slid back into place, Sakura moved from her spot and made her way over to the unconscious body. He was face down but his attire looked oddly familiar. The medic in her began to assess his injuries, noting the only external injury was a huge blow to the head. She set her hand down on the gash, seeing that the blood was still fresh. Her brow scrunched together as she examined his features. Red hair? She gently turned him over and went wide eyed when she was met with the unconscious face of Sabaku no Gaara, the Kazekage of Suna. A village she happened to be at war with.

But that didn't matter right now. What mattered was that he was critically injured, and she was the only one who could help him. He was one of Naruto's best friends, and an important political head. On top of that, she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she just sat back and let him bleed. Head injuries needed to be tended to as soon as possible.

That decided she looked around for something to use as a bandage. She could use her shirt, but that would only leave her in her breast bindings and bra, and in a place like this it simply wouldn't do. Then she noted the sleeves on his shirt and smiled. They would be perfect. She reached up and ripped his right sleeve from his shirt at the seam, biting it and tearing it to use as a bandage. She reached over and grabbed her cup of water, dipping the material in it so she could stop the bleeding and clean the wound. She continued to do this until she was satisfied that it was clean enough for her to cover it. She would just have to hold out until their captors saw fit to give her more water.

Then she wrapped it around his head and tied it off. Leaning over him, she ripped off his opposite sleeve, not wanting his shirt to look uneven and weird. It didn't matter if it was a trivial thing, the neat freak and OCD in her wouldn't allow it. She fashioned the extra sleeve into a bandage as well and tied it over the first one she had put on him, just to be on the safe side. Then she picked up her cup of water and put a bit on her hands in an attempt to wash off the blood. Hopefully he would wake up soon so that she could check to see if he had any form of concussion. Deciding with a sigh that she would just have to wait, she hoisted the redhead over to her cot, which just happened to be the only one in the cell. Then she crossed her legs and sat next to him, watching intently for him to open his eyes.

At least nine hours had gone by when Sakura was startled from her small doze, the redhead laying down on her makeshift bed moved and his face contorted into one of pain. He groaned loudly, and tried to move but found his body stiff. Slowly, his shadowed eyes cracked open and he stared at the ceiling. Finally allowing the dim light to set in his eyes he looked around, seeing he was in a cell. Another presence drew his gaze and when he looked over he saw the pink haired companion of his dear friend. "Haruno?" he asked, sounding unsure if he was simply seeing things.

Relief washed over her face then. Another hour or so and she would have thought the worst had happened. She leaned over him and smiled kindly. "You're awake. Tell me, do you know who you are?" she asked, testing for the concussion.

He gave her an odd look, this was slightly alarming. She was from Konoha, yet she was not attacking him. The fact he had even awoken somewhat surprised him. "If I didn't know who I was, why would I know who you are?" He replied. He wasn't trying to sound like a smart ass, but the question seemed silly to him.

She glared down at him lightly. "I'm just trying to make sure you don't have a concussion okay? These are standard questions. Now are we or are we not at war?" she asked, searching his eyes for signs of confusion or disorientation. So far though things seemed good, since he had responded normally.

"Yes. We are." He replied, now becoming irritated, why was she asking all these inane questions?

She nodded and smiled slightly. "You seem okay to me. Let me know if you feel a headache coming on or are disoriented. In a few hours I'll need to check your head wound again, just to make sure it's closing up nicely and there's no infection."

He remained silent, staring up at her. It was obvious the only thing running through his mind was confusion. Finally he spoke, "Why are you taking care of me Sakura?" he asked. He knew they were at war. The whole ninja world was trying to destroy the other and Konoha and Suna had not escaped this terrible ordeal.

She tilted her head to the side and gave him a confused look. "Why wouldn't I?" she asked.

He avoided her gaze then, not able to look her in the eye any longer. "Because I tried to kill you. I don't understand."

Her confusion grew. "Well we _are_ in the middle of a war. It's only natural."

"Not now." He growled out, how could she not remember? He could clearly envision the fear he saw on her face so many years ago when they were only thirteen.

Realization dawned in her emerald eyes then. He meant at the Chuunin Exams all those years ago. She shrugged, sitting back on her haunches. "It doesn't matter, it's in the past. Besides, you are a different person now, as am I."

He looked back over at her, not fully understanding why she had been so forgiving. He had never actually apologized for that. "Still…I'm sorry…" he admitted, staring back up at the ceiling.

"It's fine." She reassured. Then she rested her head against the hard stone wall and let out a sigh. "Looks like we'll be stuck here for a while. I've been in this cell for a week already." She told him.

He sighed loudly, "That does not bode well." He pressed his lips together and then felt his stomach. He pulled up his shirt and sat up some, feeling a bit woozy. He saw a seal painted on his flesh and let out another irritated growl. "This sucks."

"Yeah, they sealed me too. Not that it stopped me from trying to escape." She said with a wry smile.

"I would expect nothing less from you." He shut his eyes, liking the feel of the darkness. A small smile played across his features. He had seen firsthand how developed Sakura had become in her fighting. It was nothing less than impressive. "How did they get you?"

"I was on a high priority mission to gather some herbs for Konoha. We grow as many as we can, but some of the rare ones we don't have. So I was sent to sneak into Waterfall and retrieve them. Unfortunately I had to go all the way to the border of Rock, and I came upon a group of ninjas. I tried to go around them, since I really didn't have time to fight and I needed to get the herbs back as soon as possible, but I wound up getting caught. There were too many for me to take down on my own, and I was knocked out." She said, absentmindedly touching the fading bruise on her jaw. "What about you? I wouldn't expect you to be out of the village unless it was a dire matter."

He opened his eyes once more and stared up at the earthy ceiling. "Rock had attempted to attack Suna. I was covering the back, but we had an infiltration problem and one of my Jounin was killed and impersonated. There were hundreds of those shinobi trying to overrun Suna. Luckily, we fended them off but before I could rest I was hit from behind by my own, well what I thought was my own, subordinate. Next thing I know, I'm here."

"Well from what I can tell in my travels from this room and the interrogation one, we are in a base bordering the ocean. I could faintly smell the salt from the sea. And the stone used to build this place is one commonly found near beaches." She observed.

"Fantastic." He grumbled out. "I hate water."

She chuckled softly. "It's not so bad, although with the type of fighting you use I can see why." She sighed then. "I miss the sun." she said sadly.

"Me too…" he looked over at her and then a bit lower. "I promise I do not wish to take advantage of your kind gesture, but the floor is making my head hurt. If it isn't too improper, can I use your lap?"

"Of course." She said, scooting over to the pallet. She wanted him to be comfortable after all, and she didn't want to aggravate his wound. "Lift your head carefully." She told him.

He placed his hands flat against the floor and slowly got up, moving closer to her. With her aid, he placed his head on her comfortable lap. "Thanks." he voiced his gratitude, she after all was not from his village and their past hadn't exactly been pleasant. He shut his eyes once more, enjoying the soft feel she had. It was more than comforting, it was soothing.

"No problem." She absentmindedly brought her right hand up and ran her fingers through his hair in an effort to comfort him more, gently massaging his scalp in the process. His hair was really soft, she observed. "Tell me if you want me to stop." She said, not wanting to overstep any boundaries or make him uncomfortable. But it was soothing to her, because she needed something to do, and she was glad for the company.

"It's fine." He breathed out, this action was something so foreign to him. "I've never had someone touch me…comfortingly before."

She continued her actions, not really surprised at his admission. "Well if it's making you uncomfortable or anything just let me know and I'll stop. I just need something to do." She gave him a small smile.

"I just said it was alright Sakura, you more than anyone should know if I do not like something I will do something about it." He snapped, but then took a deep breath. "Sorry, I did not mean to sound so harsh. I enjoy it. Okay?"

"Alright." She murmured, resting her head against the wall and sighing. She wanted to sleep, but it wouldn't be long before those men came back to take her away again, and she didn't want to be vulnerable when they did. Also, Gaara needed to be watched for at least twenty four hours, just to be sure that his injury hadn't affected his cranial abilities.

It didn't take very long for the redhead to fall asleep once more. He was exhausted and the blow to his head was not helping him stay conscious. She looked down at him and halted her movements, noticing that he was asleep. She smiled softly when she saw his face. It was so peaceful. Resting her hand on his head, she shut her eyes, deciding to just rest them. Eventually though, she too drifted off.


	2. Interrogation

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Two_

-Interrogation-

Sakura's eyes shot open as she heard the heavy door to the dungeons open. They were coming for her, she just knew it. She looked down and noticed that Gaara was still asleep. She decided to try and wake him before they got there, knowing that he wouldn't want to be unaware of their arrival and caught off guard. She wouldn't either.

"Gaara." She said, stroking his cheek in an attempt to rouse him.

His face twitched a bit into irritation. "What?" he grumbled out sleepily, turning his head a bit in her lap and burying his face in the warmth. Why was this so comfortable and warm? Then he tried to remember what happened the day before. His eyes shot open and he was met with the view of Sakura's lower half. "Um…" he didn't really know what to say. He only hoped she hadn't been upset with his unknown advance.

She blushed slightly, since nobody had ever been that close to her, ever. But she knew it was an accident, so didn't say anything. "Those men are coming." She told him, her body slowly tensing, preparing for what was to come.

He sat up then and moved in front of her. After all he was a man, and a man was supposed to protect a woman, no matter how capable she was of protecting herself. "What do they want?"

"They are going to take me away and interrogate me again. Don't worry, I will be fine." She said seriously.

"What?" his voice rose a bit. "I will not let them. What if they do something terrible to you?"

She locked gazes with him. "We're in the middle of a war, of course they're going to do something terrible to me, just like last time. How else do you think I got all these scrapes?" she asked, gesturing to her healing arms and legs.

"I know that, but I will not allow it." He repeated, taking her wrist in his hand as if it would keep her there.

"Gaara, I don't want you to get hurt defending me. Your head needs to heal more, and I don't want you to overexert yourself." She said, giving him a meaningful look. She was more worried about him then herself at this point.

"Sakura, you are precious to Naruto, I will not allow you to be harmed. I do not care if we are at war. I will protect what Naruto wishes to protect."

By then the two men had entered the hallway and were walking towards the cell. Sakura's attention was immediately on them. "Hey, you kids play nicely?" The smaller of the two teased, reaching behind his back to pull out the keys to the cell.

Gaara watched them wearily, not letting go of Sakura. He would protect his friend's friend. "You two should leave." He threatened.

The men began to laugh. "Whatever, like you can do anything in your condition. We have chakra, and you don't." the man said, opening the door.

"Gaara, don't." Sakura pleaded.

"I don't need chakra to kill you two." He said sharply, ignoring her protests. He got up, feeling a wave of nausea wash over him, but he held it back. He would not appear weak in front of anyone. "If you're going to take anyone, take me, not her."

"There will be plenty of time for that later your royal Kage-ness." The large man said, walking into the cell, his partner following. "Come on Pinky, it's time to play." He said with a sinister smile. Sakura stood as well and glared at him. How she loathed that nickname.

Gaara held his head painfully, as a new wave of ache washed over his body. "No, Sakura. Don't."

"I will be fine Gaara." She said, walking around him and over to the men. She held her arms out and watched as they bound her wrists. Then she looked back at him and smiled reassuringly. "Trust me." Then the large man gripped her arm painfully and yanked her towards the door, the other one shutting and locking it behind them.

Gaara ran, more like stumbled, over to the cell bars and gripped them tightly for balance. "Sakura stop! If something happens to you, what am I supposed to tell Naruto?"

"Tell him I went out like a true kunoichi!" she yelled back, disappearing around the corner. They took her out of the dungeon and through a few corridors. This was one of their biggest mistakes, for she had a nearly perfect photographic memory. If she were to try and escape again, it wouldn't be too difficult to figure out how to get out of there.

They entered a large room then, and in the center she saw a huge vat filled with water. Her anxiety rose slightly. "What are you going to do?" she asked, trying to keep her voice neutral.

"We're going to give you a bath so to speak. You looked like you could use one." The small man said, smiling wryly.

He grabbed her bound hands and lifter her arms above her head, securing them to a hook. She was lifted off the ground then, and looked over to see that the other man was controlling a lever. Her body jerked as she was moved above the vat.

"Now," the big man said, "tell us all of the defenses Konoha has. And don't leave anything out."

"No." she said, glaring at him. Suddenly she was submerged in the cold water and yanked back up.

"That was a warning Pinky. Next time you'll be in there longer." He warned.

Her glare increased. "Go to hell." She was dropped into the water once more, but this time she was prepared and had taken a breath. Before she could become groggy they lifted her.

The smaller man walked forwards then. "Let's try a different approach, shall we? How about you tell us the number of ninjas that are at least of Chuunin level."

"How about you go swallow some arsenic? I'm not going to tell you anything." As expected, she was put into the water, and this time they kept her in there longer, and she lost all her stored air. She shook her head when she was brought back up, flinging water everywhere.

"Listen, I don't want to have to get rough with you, but I will if necessary." He said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. She knew it was a lie though, since he had been the one to cut her last time. She just kept her mouth shut and continued glaring hatefully. The small man frowned at her. "Dunk her again." He ordered.

She shut her eyes as the water hit her skin, holding her breath once more. She waited, slowly releasing her breath over time to try and stay conscious longer. Just as her vision began to get blurry and her lungs began to burn, she was yanked out of the water. Coughing, she hit the floor harshly and looked up at the men, realizing that the large man was the one who had yanked her out. Her entire form stiffened as the small man walked up to her and knelt to the ground. His eyes ran over her form slowly, lingering unnecessarily in certain places. "Hm. You have a better body than I gave you credit for." He observed, since her clothes were now clinging to her.

"Don't touch me." She warned, shivering from the cold air hitting her wet body. She now had a new dislike to water, especially water in any form of a large container. Guess that meant she wouldn't be getting a pool any time soon if she ever got out of there.

He smirked humorlessly at her and stroked her cheek with his hand. "Oh I won't be the one touching you, my friend here will do it as I watch." He said, jerking his head in the direction of the larger guy, who walked towards her. She jerked her head away from his hand, looking at him in disgust. The small man rose and backed away, just as the other one knelt by her.

"I'm going to enjoy making you red Pinky." He said, reaching forward and grabbing her chin roughly, turning her head to face him. Just as he leaned in to forcefully kiss her, she moved her head and bit down as hard as she could on one of his fingers, not stopping until it disconnected from his hand.

He yelled out in agony and jerked his body away from hers, staring wide eyed and his bleeding hand. "You bitch!" he yelled, looking over in time to see her spit out his finger in disgust.

His partner was next to her in an instant, and kicked her harshly in the stomach, causing her to grunt at the pain. "Heal him. _Now_." he ordered her, pointing at the bleeding man.

"I would need my chakra for that, and even if I had it I would refuse." She sneered. He kicked her in the face this time, but she was prepared for the blow, and rolled her head along with the kick, lowering the damage exponentially.

"Go get someone to fix that." The small man said to his friend. Then he bent over and slung the pink haired woman over his shoulder. He carried her back down to the dungeon swiftly, throwing her into the cell once he opened the door. She let out a grunt when she hit the ground, not wanting him to get the pleasure of hearing her in pain.

"I hope you learned your lesson. Next time, we won't be so kind." He snarled, slamming the door shut and locking it.

"Neither will I you prick!" she yelled at his retreating back, attempting to sit up with some difficulty. Her ribs were most likely bruised, and her head hurt from the kick she received earlier. Great, now she was going to have another bruise on her face.

She felt her body lifted and then met Gaara's worried jade eyes. "Sakura? Are you ok?" he asked, sounding genuinely concerned. He scanned over her body, feeling for anything that might be broken. He wasn't a medic, but he could at least tell if something were seriously wrong. "What can I do to help you?"

"Untie my hands." She said, smiling slightly.

He did so, fumbling with the ropes. His head still hurt and it was causing him pain to concentrate on undoing the knots. But he wouldn't let that on. He knew he should have stopped her and gone himself. "Next time I will not allow you to leave."

"I'm fine." She said, rubbing her sore wrists. Then she grimaced and turned her head away from him, spitting out the rest of the blood that was in her mouth. Looking back at him, she said, "Don't worry, it's not my blood."

He touched her face softly, gripping her chin and moving her head so he could examine her. "What did you do to them? I could hear the cowardly screaming from here."

She smirked. "I bit off the big guy's finger. Guess it ruined the mood. But it's what he gets for calling me Pinky. I hate that name." she frowned.

"Ruined the mood?" he asked, not really connecting the dots. After all, he wasn't very adept on male-female relationships.

She gave him a serious look. "He was going to rape me Gaara, while the other one watched."

His eyes widened but he kept the shock off his face, his gaze hardened. "Never again. I promise I will make sure that you are not harmed in here again."

She smiled and placed her hand on his cheek. "Okay, but I really can take care of myself. Mostly." She said. Then she grasped the hem of her shirt and lifted it slightly, using her other hand to press on her stomach. She winced when she reached the area near her belly button, where her seal was located. She dropped her shirt and reached up towards her face, hissing when she pressed lightly against her opposite cheek. Now she had a matching bruise. "Damnit."

"You should lie down." He ordered, helping her up and leading her over towards the makeshift bed. He helped her back down and sat beside her laying form. "I'll stay up." He promised.

She looked up at him and nodded. "Wake me up if you get tired. You still need to rest because of your wound." She closed her eyes, sighing as she drifted off to sleep, her head wound not allowing her to stay awake any longer.

He watched her carefully, noticing when she fell asleep. He scanned her body, looking off immediately when he felt his mind complementing her curves. He would not be like those disgusting men. He leaned against the wall and sighed. He knew this was going to be a very altering point in his life.


	3. Day Three: Boredom

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Three_

-Day 3: Boredom-

Sakura frowned as her mind slowly made its way back to the real world. She didn't want to wake up, this was the best she had slept since her arrival in this prison. She buried her face deeper into the warmth that she was resting on, gripping the pillow to her body more tightly. Her eyes shot open at that thought. She didn't have a pillow in this cell. Looking down, she saw black cloth, and her eyes widened. The blanket on top of the pallet was green, not black.

She lifter her head slightly and looked up, face growing red at the sight of Gaara's slumbering form leaning against the wall. Slowly, she unwound her arms from around his legs, thoroughly embarrassed that she had snuggled up to him in her sleep. She only hoped he didn't know or notice.

She sat up and stretched, raising her arms in the air and wincing as her sore muscles and skin protested. If only she had her chakra, then her bruises would have been gone in a matter of seconds. She looked from Gaara to the door of the cell, noticing that someone had brought them their food for the day. She crawled over to the tray and brought it back to the cot, setting it next to herself. The she leaned over him and tapped his cheek lightly.

"Gaara, the food is here." She said.

His eyes opened immediately and he focused on her and then the food. "You can have it, you need it more than I do." He mumbled, shutting his eyes once more. He found it ironic, now that he could sleep, it was the only safe haven at the moment.

She frowned, sitting back down on the cot. "We'll split it. You need more nourishment than I do because your wound bled. Which, by the way, I need to check later." She said, dividing the food on the plate.

He sighed and sat up, taking the portion she gave him. "You know if you wish to sleep on me you can, you do not have to be frightened. I will not hurt you." He said, taking a bite of the stale bread. He made a face of disgust and set it down. "I never really felt pampered until I came here." He attempted a laugh, trying to make a joke.

She smiled at his comment, but her face was still slightly red in embarrassment. So he did know that she had slept on him. "It wasn't that, I was just embarrassed is all…" she trailed off, picking up some bread and dipping it in the oily soupy substance. "It tastes better if you dip it in the soup by the way." She told him, taking a bite.

He glanced down at the odd looking substance and grimaced. "You know sometimes I wonder if being dead would be a nice relief from this. I've only been in here for three days. I commend you for being so strong." He said, doing as she had and dipping it into the soup. He started eating once more and sighed, it was still awful, but it did taste better.

She smiled as she took a drink of the water. "It would be nicer I suppose, but at least we have each other for company. You have no idea how boring it was before you got here."

"I can imagine." He said sadly, now remaining quiet and only focusing on his 'meal'.

They ate in silence then, and when she finished her portion she sighed. Spotting a small rock, she picked it up and began to doodle in the dirt floor, already bored. Getting an idea, she looked over at the redhead and raised a brow. "So…you wanna play tic-tac-toe?"

"What?" he asked, looking more confused than she had ever seen.

"You know, I'm X's and you're O's." she elaborated, drawing out the boxes.

He's confusion only increased. "I don't know what you're talking about. What's tic-tac-toe?"

She gave him a shocked look, but then it faded as she remembered about his past and his childhood. It actually wasn't a surprise that he didn't know. "Well, it's a type of game. See the board? The goal is to get three of your symbol in a row. We each take turns putting our symbols in a square. If you get close to having three in a row, then I can block you. Once you get three in a row you draw a line through them, signaling that you won. You can go vertically, horizontally, or diagonally." She explained, showing him examples of what she meant.

He studied the drawn set up and nodded. "I guess. I'll try." It did get boring just sitting there. He got to his knees and then took the rock from her, drawing a pretty odd looking 'O' in one of the squares. "Like that?"

"Yes." She said, smiling at him. Then she took the rock and drew an 'X' in another square, already planning out how she would win. Just because it was his first time playing didn't mean she had to go easy on him after all.

He followed her example and thought methodically about where to place his next circle. He would win this silly game. He didn't even realize he had a smile on his face from the fact he was actually playing a game.

Watching his movements, she placed an 'X' down and blocked him, at the same time making it possible for her to get three in a row. She too was smiling, glad that she had caused him some sort of joy from their game.

His smile turned into a dark smirk as he placed another 'O' down, successfully assuring his win. He had an 'O' in three of the corners of the board. "That means I win, correct?" he asked, noticing no matter what move she did he had a way to win.

She stared at the board, flabbergasted. She was sure that she would have won. "Let's play again." She said instead of answering his question, determined to win at least once.

He looked up, pleased with his victory. "If you wish." He said with a small smirk. They played for the next hour, but every time Gaara won. "I really like this game." He laughed drawing yet another line through his 'O's.

She tossed down the rock and crossed her arms in a huff. "This game is boring anyways." She pouted.

"You're just saying that because I won every time." He pointed out with a smug look.

She glared at him. "No, I'm saying it because it's true." She lied.

"Sakura I may be devoid of all these games you learn as a child, but I can tell when you're lying. Your nose flares a bit and your eyes darken for a second, but it's obvious." He snickered, seeing her growing anger.

"Oh really? I didn't realize, thank you for pointing that out to me. I'll be sure to work on that so people can't tell." She said, slightly sarcastic. She didn't know why she was being rude, she was just annoyed. She was extremely competitive, and hated to lose. On top of that, it had always bothered her that she was so easy for people to read sometimes. Her brow crinkled slightly. "I'm sorry, that was rude." She apologized, lowering her arms.

He shrugged, "It's fine. I've been treated worse." He said simply, leaning back against the wall and wincing when he hit his sore spot.

Her head whipped in his direction. "Here, let me check your wound." She said, rising to her knees and moving towards him.

He held his hand up and halted her advance. "It's ok, I'm fine. I just hit it."

"I need to check it anyways. It's been three days, and I need to make sure it's healing properly." She told him, continuing her advance.

He gave her a reluctant look but allowed her closer. She reached up and untied his sleeves, slowly unwinding them from his head. "I'm sorry about your shirt by the way, but I didn't have anything else to use." She said, placing the first sleeve on the floor next to him.

"I don't care, it's fine. If I had been mad about it, you would have known." He looked off, giving her better access to the back of his head. "It's just weird being taken care of."

She smiled. "Get used to it, according to Naruto I'm a natural caretaker." She said, her eyes filling with fondness at the mention of the energetic blonde. She missed him dearly, and wondered if he was already demanding to search for her. He probably was. Then she took off the other sleeve and tilted his head a bit more so she could examine his wound. She nodded, seeing that it was healing faster than she thought it would. She reached down and ripped part of her skirt off, dipping it in their leftover water. Then she carefully began to wipe away some of the extra blood, trying to clean the wound once more. "Let me know if I hurt you."

He kept his gaze focused on the ground, it felt soothing to be treated. "It doesn't hurt." He said softly.

She finished cleaning it and nodded in approval at her work. "I'm going to let it get some air for a while. Just be careful, and before you go to sleep I'll re-wrap it." She said, sitting next to him and tossing the piece of her skirt on top of his sleeves.

"So…" he began a bit awkwardly, rubbing his palms together. "How's Konoha these days?"

She smiled. "Good I guess. The Elders still drive Shishou crazy, Naruto never stops eating ramen…I mean, other than more dangerous missions and the occasional all out fights we have, not many things have changed. It's a little bothersome though, the way everyone tries to pretend like the war isn't going on, how people aren't dying every day." She said, clenching her fist. It was hard for her, especially as a medic, to deal with death every day.

"I see…unfortunately…I only see things getting worse. Before I was taken, the Council was planning an attack on Konoha…I can usually prevent the more large scale ones but since I am gone…I don't know what will happen." He said sadly, avoiding her gaze. The war between their countries was fierce and Suna and Konoha were especially heated.

She sighed. "Yeah, the Elders are planning something as well. I don't know any of the details, since I was sent away before I could be told by Tsunade-shishou." She looked over at him. "How is Temari?" she asked. She hadn't seen her friend in a long time, and wondered how the blonde was doing.

"Fine." He rubbed his head, pulling at his hair a bit. "She does what she needs to do, but you know that she and Shikamaru had something before the war started…" he stopped then, not wanting to get into a debate with her on the sparks of the fire.

She nodded. "He still thinks about her, I can tell. When it gets windy he will look up to the sky for a moment, and then continue with his business as if it never happened. He doesn't know that I know, but still. It makes me sad for them. Everyone deserves happiness, at least, that's what I believe." She said softly, wondering if she would ever find the happiness she dreamt of.

"What about you?" he asked, hoping he wasn't stepping over any lines. "Did you and Sasuke ever get married or something?"

Pain flashed across her face for a moment, but she covered it quickly. "No. All he cares about is being strong and beating people. Besides, I gave up on him a _long_ time ago. The Elders are trying to get me to marry him, since apparently I'm the only woman he can stand, and adding my chakra control to the Uchiha line will strengthen it. But in reality they just want me to be a baby factory, and so does Sasuke. He and I don't really speak." She said, her gaze hardening.

He didn't really know what to say, he wasn't really an expert in this field, but he knew he needed to say something so she wouldn't feel foolish. He tapped his fingers together idly, "They were going to try and make me marry some girl from Suna so that we could produce an heir and have more powerful ninja with my abilities. So…I somewhat understand how you feel."

The hate left her eyes, and she got a wistful expression on her face. "When I have kids, it will be with someone I love. And it won't be just so I can create a perfect weapon."

"I wish you luck in finding someone that will love you the way you deserve to be." he nodded. He didn't say anything more. He didn't really want to talk about this any longer. He would like to think of marrying someone he loved. But he didn't love anyone, nor could he even tolerate any of the women from his village.

"What about you? Do you want to have kids some day?" she asked, wanting to quench her sudden curiosity.

He gave her a small shrug. "I'd _like_ to. I mean I don't really like kids, since they don't take well to me. But I always thought…well that I would like my own." He sighed, feeling a bit foolish for revealing such an emasculating dream. "Then again I also can't really imagine having any with anyone so…"

"I'm sure you'll find someone someday Gaara. After all, once you get past the initial rough exterior, you're really sweet." She said, giving him a genuine smile.

He scoffed and faced away from her, crossing his arms. "I am _not_ sweet. I am cold and very tactical, _maybe_ a little nice. But I am not sweet."

She rolled her eyes. "Fine. You're _nice_." She said, leaning against the wall and looking up at the ceiling. "It's pretty much the same thing." She muttered.

"I said maybe, and only a little." He pointed out, looking back at her with amused jade eyes.

She looked over at him, slightly annoyed. "Will you just take the compliment for what it was? I wasn't trying to diminish your manliness or anything."

"I didn't say you were, I was just trying to antagonize you." He smirked, seeing her irritation spark further. "Besides, it's kind of cute when you're angry." He leaned back against the wall, resting his head against the cool rock and shutting his eyes.

She stared at him, mouth open and face red from his comment. She wasn't sure whether or not she should be angry or embarrassed. He thought she was cute? Not really knowing what to say, she settled far laying down on the floor and tossing the rock into the air idly, catching it in her hand each time it came back down. Then she began to hum softly to herself, not wanting silence just yet.

"Well. I'm going to attempt to get some sleep." He said simply, situating himself more comfortably on 'their bed'. After all they were sharing. "Good night, or morning. I don't really know which it is anymore." He lay down then and faced away from her, shutting his eyes. It would do best to keep what little energy he had up.

"You can use my legs as a pillow if you wish." She offered, catching the rock and looking over at him.

"That's alright, I prefer your lap. It's much softer." He laughed, feeling a small smile play on his face. He didn't really know why he was acting so oddly from himself. He supposed their incarceration was slowly setting in and he may never see anyone else ever again. And if anyone deserved his kind side it was Sakura. She had saved him from the Akatsuki so many years ago with Naruto, despite their terrible past. He pushed the thoughts aside, for whatever reason it was he didn't mind. If they did get out of here alive no one would believe her if she told anyone.

She sat up, turning her body towards him. "Then you can use my lap." She didn't want to upset his head injury any more than it normally would be. And that way she would get to run her fingers through his soft hair once more.

He didn't answer her, the only sound coming from his was the sound of his breathing. He was glad she wasn't facing him though, because the huge smirk on his face would have given his act away.

She frowned. There was just no way he could have fallen asleep that easily. She crawled over to him until she was leaning over his face. Then she poked his cheek harshly. "Hey! I was talking to you!" she said, brow crinkled with slight anger.

He continued his charade, his face remaining calm and peaceful as if he really were asleep. Then he decided to mess with her and began to mumble something incoherently.

She leaned closer to him, bringing her ear closer to his mouth in order to decipher what he was saying. He didn't strike her as someone who talked in their sleep. Sure, she did it occasionally when she was stressed or worried about something, but she just didn't figure him to have the same problem as her.

He moved, as if asleep, and lay on his back, successfully knocking her off balance and making her fall onto his chest, being face to face with his 'slumbering façade'. Feeling bold now, he let his hand lazily fall on her behind, keeping her in place and using all his years of stoic practice to make sure nothing played on his face.

She stared, shocked, into his sleeping face, her own red as a cherry at where his hand was. She placed her hands on his chest and elevated herself slightly, his hand still resting on her rear. She reached behind her and grabbed it, attempting to move it off of her. When it didn't budge and she felt the tensing muscles her eye twitched. "You jerk!" she yelled, red with rage. Then she hit his chest with her free hand. Not as hard as she normally would have, since she wasn't at her full strength and was without chakra, but as forcefully as she could.

He just started to laugh and finally opened his eyes giving her a devious look. "I'm sorry Miss. I guess I just couldn't help myself." He smirked, still not removing his hand from her behind. She yelped loudly when it moved down a bit and his grip tightened. "Whoops." He finally held his hands up as if he were accused of something. "Guess I just had a nervous twitch."

Her eye began to twitch as she glared at him. "I'll show you a nervous twitch." She said, raising her fist to punch him in the face. She stopped then, remembering his head injury. Letting out a sigh, she pushed off of him and sat up. She didn't understand how it was he could make her go from embarrassed to angry to normal so quickly without even having to try. It just didn't make sense.

He sat up, still unable to control his laughter, which was a first. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I really don't know what came over me. I promise I'll behave." He smirked, then patting the spot beside him. "Now come on _darling,_ let's not fight tonight when we can snuggle together all cozy like."

She gave him an incredulous look. "Snuggle? With you? Why should I?" she asked, giving him a once over.

He lay back, propping himself up with only one arm. "Well you didn't mind it last night…or the night before. I'm just saying, you always seem to latch onto me in some sort of way."

She crossed her arms. "I was unconscious, that doesn't count." She said defensively. "And the first night, it was _you_ who buried your face in my stomach, so don't go trying to say that I seek you out only." She said, waving a hand at him.

"I never said that, you must have a pretty short memory if you don't remember what happened five minutes ago." He taunted smugly.

Her mouth dropped open. She was utterly flabbergasted, and had no idea what to say. She shut her mouth and gave him a considering look. She _was_ tired, and he just _happened_ to be more comfortable than the wall or the floor…so it wouldn't really mean anything if they snuggled, right? They were just two friends, stuck in a cell together and were growing closer. Yeah, she could live with that for now. Deciding to be selfish instead of proper for once, she scooted closer to him, stopping when she was next to him on the pallet. "Fine. But if you so much as think of touching me inappropriately, you are dead, head wound or not." She threatened with a warning glare before lying down next to him and placing her head on his chest.

"Sure, sure." He said, resting back and shutting his eyes. She formed right against him, just like she had for the past couple of nights. He rested one of his hands on her back and the other on his stomach. "Goodnight Sakura."

"Night Gaara." She mumbled, snuggling into him. She ignored the small voice in the back of her head saying that she didn't really mind his advances. That part of her was just crazy.


	4. Day Ten: Questioning

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Four_

-Day 10: Questioning-

Gaara's eyes flashed open when he heard the dungeon door creak. He sat up quickly, keeping his form over the sleeping Sakura. He gave her a small nudge, awakening her instantly. "Sakura. They're coming."

She sat up, instantly tense. "What do those bastards want this time?" she asked in irritation. Over the past few days she and Gaara had been left alone. During that time, they had conversed normally, squabbling every so often. But, overall, she was happy that it was him she had been stuck with. He really was an interesting individual once you got to know him.

"I won't let them take you again." He said seriously, standing up and taking a stance in front of her. His head had finally healed up and he was starting to feel his muscle strength come back, despite the scraps that they were fed.

She stood as well, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Be careful." She whispered, watching the end of the hall intently. Her bruises had faded to yellow, but she knew they wouldn't hesitate to give her more. She only hoped that Gaara didn't get hurt if they tried to take her away again.

Four men walked down the hallway this time, followed by their two normal 'caretakers'. Confusion washed over Gaara's face but Sakura couldn't help feel flattered. They thought she was such a problem that they had to bring in back up? They all stopped at the door to the cell and unlocked it, three of the men stepping in. "Don't even think about it." Gaara threatened, letting his normal icy glare set in place.

They all laughed and took in the scene of the Kazekage defending the Konoha kunoichi. "You know, technically, right now you two are traitors. But I guess Kage's are allowed to break the rules." One laughed, joined by the others.

"Relax Kazekage, we aren't here for the woman this time. It's your turn."

His guard dropped a bit and he stared at them oddly. "Like hell I'll go with you." He scoffed, keeping his hands raised.

"Bad choice." They laughed and came in leisurely; everyone knew that Suna's Kage was mainly defense and a long range fighter. So it was a bit of a surprise when he slammed his foot into one of the guys' head. He fell to the ground with a loud thud and then the barrage began. The rest ran into the cell and there was a mass of taijutsu. Suddenly there was a loud yell that made Gaara freeze. He looked over, seeing Sakura held by two of the men. They slammed her to the ground, keeping her arms held tightly and her mouth out of anything's reach. But that brief moment was all the time they needed to smash him against the cold iron bars.

"Now if you don't behave we will just have to kill her right now. If you behave, we'll let her go and we promise we won't harm her for the rest of the day." Another laughed, holding a kunai to the back of Sakura's neck. The redhead grimaced and looked back up at the other men.

He took in a deep breath. "Fine. Do _not_ touch her." He threatened. They pulled him away from the bars and jerked him towards the cell door. The rest followed and slammed the door, leaving Sakura alone. Gaara looked back into the cell and locked gazes with her. "I'll be back." He promised. She nodded, praying to the gods that they didn't harm him.

They threw Gaara down once they were in the room they had taken Sakura before. He growled out, hating the powerless feeling that he was experiencing. He wanted his sand, though even if it was anywhere near he wouldn't be able to feel it with this chakra seal. Before they could do anything more he stood, not allowing these men to have the upper hand. "What do you want." He demanded, though he wouldn't succumb to their wishes.

"Sit down." The assumed leader ordered, pointing towards a wooden table and a makeshift chair made from a box.

"I'd rather stand."

"Jiro, why don't you go and bring Pinky in here so we can convince Lord Kazekage to be a little more cooperative." He snapped, signaling for one of the men to leave.

"Alright!" Gaara yelled out, holding his hands up and then sitting down.

Two of the other men came to each side of the table and pulled up some restraints that were attached to it. Before Gaara could move to get away, they bound his hands and then backed off, leaving the redhead struggling to break free.

"Now Kazekage, why don't you go ahead and tell us if there are any weak points in Suna's defenses." The interrogator began.

"How about you go to hell?" he smirked; there was no way anyone could intimidate him.

The leader nodded slowly and walked closer, staring down at their new torture victim. "You're one of the most feared people in world Sabaku no Gaara, but we have ways of dealing with you tough types. With your sand gone there's nothing preventing me from doing this." He laughed, pulling out a kunai and swiftly stabbing it through Gaara's pale hand and pinning it to the table.

He bit down on his lower lip, tasting the metallic liquid that was now seeping into his mouth. He let out a short breath. He would not let them get what they wanted from him. He would rather die. The man touched the top of the kunai and slowly tilted it, cutting further into the redhead's skin. He winced, keeping his mouth shut.

"Are you sure about that Kazekage?"

He glared up at the man and leaned forward. "Fuck you."

He moved quickly and struck Gaara across the face. "You've got more attitude than the bitch and it's starting to piss me off."

"Then why don't you do something about it?" Gaara spat out, spitting blood onto the man's face. He yelled out in fury, pulling out another kunai and doing the same to his other hand. This time Gaara let out a pained shout, trying to block out the pain searing through his arms.

"I don't think he's going to break boss." One of the men sighed, watching Gaara carefully. The leader walked behind Gaara and gripped him by the hair.

"Maybe not now," he jerked the Kazekage back and stared into his hazy jade eyes. "We'll let you sit here for a day and see if you change your mind." He slammed his head forward, causing Gaara to bang his forehead against the hard wood. He coughed painfully, only causing more blood to leave his mouth.

The group of men left, locking the door and leaving the half conscious redhead to bleed. They filed out and the two watchers made their way back to Sakura's cell. They stopped at the bars, seeing the pink haired kunoichi sitting against the wall. "Sorry Pinky but you're little friend won't be joining you for the night." He laughed, the other joining in soon after.

She stood and glared at them. "What the hell are you talking about? Bring Gaara back now!" she yelled, stomping her foot.

"Heh, we'd love to Pinky but…" the larger of the two laughed.

The smaller picked up the same tone, "But he's kind of pinned down at the moment. And he needs some time to think about his attitude."

"Hey sweet cakes, how come when I tried to make you feel real good you bit my finger off, yet you'll sleep with the leader of the village you're at war with? Seems kinda selfish, don't ya think?"

"Very selfish, I agree Kane." He smirked reaching his hand in the cell. "Come here Pinky, why don't you show us some of that sugar sweet love you're giving the Kazekage. Since he can't keep ya company tonight."

She crossed her arms, glaring hatefully at the two. "Go to hell, you fuckers." She seethed, more than pissed now.

He pulled his hand back and sneered. "Stupid bitch. You can't pick and choose the enemies you put out for." He growled, stepping back and nudging Kane. "Let's go. Oh and by the way, I hope you like bloody caresses, cause' that's all you'll get for a while from your precious demon."

Her eyes widened at his statement. "If you hurt him I swear I'll kill you! Even if I have to do it without my chakra!" she yelled furiously, growing red with her anger.

"Whatever." They waved, leaving the fuming woman to herself.

She began to pace the small cell, devising a way to escape and save Gaara. She would never forgive herself if he was hurt, and if he died in this hellhole, she didn't know what she would do. When an idea struck her, she grinned evilly, immediately making the necessary preparations.

* * *

When she heard the door open and footsteps come down the hallway she kept her form from tensing, as it normally did. Instead, she doubled her efforts in pretending to be asleep next to the door of the cell. Truth be told she didn't know who it was that brought their food or when, so she'd been propped against the hard metal bars for quite some time, and had long ago grown extremely uncomfortable with her position. But she persevered, thoughts of an injured Gaara running through her head.

The figure walked down the hallway leisurely, pausing momentarily when they saw her form next to the door. They unlocked and opened it slowly, entering the cell to place the tray on her other side. Hm, seemed this person was actually considerate. Too bad.

Before they could straighten and leave, her eyes shot open and she grabbed them by the ears, slamming their head against the metal bars. The man was unconscious instantly, and she shoved him off her as she stood. After stretching her stiff muscles, she took some kunai off his limp form, stashing a few underneath their pallet for later. Then she took the keys and locked him in the cell in her place, running out of there quickly.

Sakura made her way out of the dungeon and towards the room she had been tortured in, hoping that it was the same one they had taken Gaara to. She didn't have to worry too much about being discovered, since her chakra was sealed and therefore virtually undetectable.

Seeing the closed door to the torture chamber, she quickened her pace. Once she reached it she drew one of the kunai she had stolen, just in case Gaara wasn't alone. Throwing the door open, she gasped and dropped the weapon, immediately running over to the redhead. His hands were tied and pinned to the table before him, blood dried and crusted around the wounds. "Gaara!" she fretted, dropping to her knees once she reached him. His head was bowed, and she didn't know if it was because he was unconscious, asleep, or in a great deal of pain. "Gaara?" she asked, tentatively reaching up to cup his cheek.

He didn't respond at first, but it was obvious he was still conscious. She rose and ripped two strips off one of the front portions of her skirt, and in the other portion she ripped off a bigger piece of cloth. Setting the two strips on the table, she walked over to the vat of water, which was still in the room for some reason, and dipped it in. Making her way back to him, she reached out and grabbed one of the kunai, looking down at him. "I'm going to take these out okay?" she asked, wanting to warn him before she did so.

He groaned and shifted his head a bit, looking over towards the source of the voice. "Sakura…what are you doing? If they catch you…" he didn't need to finish, they both knew.

"That doesn't matter. You need me right now. Now brace yourself, I'm going to have to rip these out quickly in order to cause less damage." She told him.

"I'm not a weakling Sakura, just rip them both out together." He ordered, giving her a threatening look. He was not in a good mood and he didn't like the fact that Sakura was placing herself in danger just for him.

She did as she was told, tossing the kunai aside and immediately covering the now bleeding wounds with the wet cloth, applying pressure to stop the blood flow. Once she was sure the bleeding stopped, she rinsed off the cloth she used and cleaned the wounds on both sides of his hands. When that was finished, she picked up the other two strips of cloth and wrapped his hands, tying them tightly. As she reached to untie him from the table she heard a dark chuckle, and her head shot towards the open doorway.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here boys. It seems our little cherry blossom snuck out of her cage to come and rescue her Kazekage. How foolish." The leader said. Before she could do anything more to try and free Gaara two large men were upon her, each one grabbing an arm and holding her in place. The leader slowly walked into the room, stopping when he was in front of the two. He looked down at Gaara. "Have you decided to talk?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"Go to hell." He spat out, glaring harshly at the men. He looked at Sakura and tried not to feel upset. "Please don't hurt her…"

He laughed harshly. "Oh we won't hurt her just yet. You have to be punished first." He looked at the men holding Sakura. "Take her down the hall. You two men go with them." He said, looking at two other subordinates.

At this Sakura began to struggle against her captors. "No!" she protested, trying to get free. The other two walked over and each picked up one of her legs. They then began to carry her out of the room. "Gaara!" she yelled, trying to turn and catch a glimpse of him before disappearing through the doorway.

He struggled against his restraints, trying to pull his arms free. "Whatever you do to her I will unleash upon you tenfold!" he yelled after them. One of the men left in the room hit Gaara across the jaw once more, forming another dark bruise on his face.

Another man stepped over towards an adjacent table and lit a fire, pulling out some wax and a spoon. "Now Kazekage-sama, why don't you just sit still so you can drown out her screams with yours." He laughed sickly, beginning to melt the wax and prepare it for the torture.

* * *

The men threw Sakura on a table in another room, each of them holding down one of her limbs. "Let go of me you bastards!" she shouted, continuing to struggle against her restraints. The assumed leader walked into the room a few moments later.

"Oh, but we can't do that, little cherry blossom." He said, examining the kunai that she had dropped earlier. "You see, you did a naughty thing by tricking poor Hugo and locking him in that cage. And then again by trying to free the Kazekage. Tell me, does he really fuck you so well that you would risk your life for his?" he asked, glancing down at her.

She glared at him. "Fuck. You. You arrogant asshole."

He began to chuckle at her vigor. "It seems you are more troublesome than I previously thought. And, since the Kazekage treats you _so_ well, I'm going to leave him a present." He said, gripping the kunai in his hand. Then he walked up to the table and pulled her shorts down, causing her to resume her struggles. "Open her legs." He ordered, and his men did just that.

"What are you doing? Don't you _dare_ touch me!" she yelled frantically, her fear leaking into her eyes.

"Oh I have no intention of touching what belongs to Kazekage-_sama_. But I _will_ brand you." The leader said, bringing the kunai between her legs.

At the searing pain that was suddenly on her inner left thigh, Sakura let out a scream, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. As the pain increased, she continued to cry out in agony, her flesh burning where he was cutting her. By now she was openly crying, the tears flowing down her face.

When it was all over, she laid there limply, her cheeks tearstained. After wiping away the blood, the leader put her shorts back in place, touching her lower area inappropriately before he pulled away and left.

The large man named Kane hoisted her over his shoulder then. She didn't even struggle or say anything she felt so defeated. He carried her back down to the cell, where Gaara was waiting, sitting stiffly on the pallet.

Once the door was opened she was tossed down to the floor like a ragdoll. "Maybe now you'll realize how serious we are Pinky. Next time, don't defy Koga-sama." Kane said as he shut the door and locked it. Then he looked at Gaara. "She has a present for you, courtesy of our leader. Enjoy." He sneered, leaving the two alone after that.

When he heard the door close and the bolt slide into place he got up and walked over to Sakura, resting his hand on her shoulder. Sakura remained on the floor and curled into a ball, hugging her knees to her chest as she began to cry silently. She was so humiliated. Because the symbol that had been carved into her flesh was the kanji for love, a perfect replica of the one on Gaara's forehead. And she only knew this because the leader had proudly told her what it was once her screams had died down. "Sakura…" he said softly, not really knowing what they had done with her. But he had heard the screams. He moved around her, so that he was kneeling in front of her and brushed some of her hair from her face. "Are you ok? What did they do to you?" he asked, scanning her body and noting the small stream of blood coming down her leg. He pulled her into his arms instantly and forced her to look into his eyes. "What did they do to you?" he demanded, already assuming the worst.

"He…cut my leg." She said softly, looking down in shame.

"Oh…" he almost sighed with relief. At least they hadn't done what he thought they did. "Would it be alright if I check it? It's bleeding…" he asked, almost nervously. She had taken care of him and she seemed so fragile right now. "I promise I will be proper about it."

Her eyes whipped up to his in alarm. She was unsure as to whether or not she should let him look at it, given what it was and its location on her person. But at the same time, she really wouldn't be able to see it very well. "Alright…but it's bad…" she murmured.

"Why would it being bad bother me?" he asked, picking her up bridal style and carrying her back over to the pallet. He laid her down and made sure she was comfortable before he lowered his hands to the hem of her shorts. "Ok," he took a deep breath and hesitated for only a moment. "Are you sure?" he asked once more, looking back up at her.

She nodded, fixing her gaze on the ceiling. Her face was already turning red from embarrassment, and she was trying to prepare herself for the anger she suspected would come when he saw what they had done to her. He pulled down her tight black shorts, making sure none of the nervousness he was feeling was seen on his face. When his gaze fell on the flesh wound he couldn't help the startled expression that crossed his blank façade. He leaned forward, unable to even comprehend what he was doing. He moved her leg a bit to get a better look and make sure what he was seeing was correct. "Sakura…" he said sadly, running his thumb lightly over her forming scar. "I'm so sorry…this is all my fault…"

She sat up to look at him and shook her head. "No it isn't. Don't ever think that Gaara. They would have done this to me anyways." She said.

"No they wouldn't." he gave her a serious look. "Don't speak to me like I'm stupid Sakura, I know why they did it." He pressed his hand against her thigh, trying to stop the bleeding. After a while, he removed his bandaged hand and tore some of his long outfit off, wrapping her leg tightly. "Your shorts are all bloody, so you can leave them off for now…" he laid her down once more and she finally saw in the dim light that his arms had been burned severely in several places. "If you want you can go to sleep, I'll stay awake."

"Gaara, your arms…what did they do to you?" she asked, extremely concerned.

"Nothing, just rest." He commanded, not giving her room to object. "And…I'm still sorry about…well you know…I'm sorry you've received my mark."

She rolled onto her side and gave him a meaningful look. "I would rather it be your mark than anything else. At least then if we ever get out of here I can remember the time I spent with you." She said softly, closing her eyes after that. She wished she could treat his burns. It was killing her that he had been hurt in such a way.

He could feel the smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, "Just go to sleep Sakura." he said more kindly now, touching her cheek gently with his hand. He wanted to comfort her in any way he could, though he didn't know if his touch would be wanted, especially now.

She smiled sleepily and rubbed her cheek against his palm. She had had a long day, and with all the crying she had done she was exhausted. "Goodnight Gaara." She mumbled.

"Goodnight Sakura."


	5. Day Thirteen: Consummation

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Five_

-Day 13: Consummation-

Gaara paced around the cell, bored out of his mind, fiddling aimlessly with his tattered clothing. Sakura sat Indian style, following the redhead with her eyes, listening to him talk. It was a bit amusing to hear the stoic redhead talk so much. "You know, I'm not really one to care about what I look like but our clothes are slowly disintegrating and I feel dirty. Blood and dirt, dirt and blood. It's driving me crazy!" he threw his hands in the air and then stopped, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I miss air." He sighed.

She placed her hand on her chin, covering up her smile. She thought it funny that even though she had been here longer she was still saner than him. But, if you thought about it, he wasn't the most stable person in the first place. "I miss real food." She said.

He fell forward, placing his hand on his stomach. "Me too…I'm starving." He sighed, walking over to the bars and gripping at the cold metal.

"If we get out of here, the first thing I'm going to do after a long, hot shower is make a huge feast. I don't even care if I eat it all by myself." Sakura leaned against the wall, placing her hands behind her head. "I'm an excellent cook you know. I can make all kinds of things. You know what? If we get out of here, I promise to make you the best meal you've ever eaten in your entire life." She said with a smile.

He glanced back at her with a doubtful smile. "Good luck getting me to that with our villages at war." It was odd, he hadn't thought about the war much since he had gotten here. Well he had, but not the fact that technically he and Sakura were enemies. "If it were possible though…I would love to."

She shrugged. "I could sneak you in, no problem." She told him confidently.

"I dunno," he pulled at his hair a bit. "I kind of stand out in a crowd."

"And you think I don't?" she asked, pointing to her own pink locks. "What I'm saying is, I'd risk it. But nothing ever comes from wishful thinking." She sighed, lowering her arms and placing her hands in her lap. Her wound was healing really well, surprisingly enough. But it had made her think over the past few days. She had never been intimate with anyone before, never even experienced her first kiss. The most intimate she had ever been as when Gaara had touched her butt and when he had first examined the wound, although the second was purely professional. By now, she had even given up ever being able to have kids someday, figuring that she and Gaara would die together in this hellhole.

He made his way back to her and kneeled down in front of her, noticing her vacant gaze. It had been something she did more often the past few days than before. "Is something troubling you? You've been having odd silent moments lately."

She looked up at him. "Hm? Oh, it's nothing." She said, trying to wave it off.

He sat down then, crossing his legs as well. "Are you sure? It seems like something has been bothering you."

"I just keep thinking about the things I'll never get to experience, since I'm pretty sure we're going to die here." She said morosely.

"Yeah, I figured that too. I can't think of anything that would remove these seals, since it would require chakra to release them…" he sighed, and leaned back, supporting himself with his arms. "So what things we're you thinking about?"

She flushed slightly. "Oh you know…girly things."

"Like?"

She decided she might as well tell him. I mean, she needed to rant about her problems to _somebody_, and he was all she had. "Like, how I'm twenty-two years old and I've never even kissed someone. Never!" she said, throwing her arms in the air and giving him an incredulous look. "I'll never get married, never have kids, never become the best medic the ninja world has ever known…" she counted everything out on her fingers.

"Hm." He looked at her oddly and then tapped his chin. "Wow…I hadn't really thought about that…that's kinda sad."

Her eye twitched and she crossed her arms, giving him a threatening glare. "Excuse me?"

He looked back at her and then realized why he was receiving such a look. "Oh, no, no. I didn't mean you. I was thinking about myself." He explained, but she didn't ease up in her glare. "I was just thinking since you said that, I got everything I wanted with my life except one thing. I mean I became Kazekage and my whole village respects me. I'm one of the most powerful ninja in the country but…" he stopped then, immediately shutting down. He wasn't used to speaking of intimate things with _anyone_. Because he never had and he knew it wasn't very manly to think about ever finding that one person. Sure he had Naruto, but that was a different sort of relationship.

"But?" she asked, raising a brow.

He blinked and looked up at her, snapping from his darker expression. "But what?"

"You stopped talking and trailed off with a but. But what?" she inquired, wanting to know what else he was going to say.

"But nothing." He said simply.

"Don't but nothing me. There was something. Your face got all solemn and stuff." She said, glaring slightly at him.

His expression darkened. "Don't patronize me Haruno, I don't want to talk about it alright? Besides, it's better to never have experienced that awful feeling anyways. Since it usually ends in pain." He scoffed, his hands forming into tight fists.

"Love does not usually end in pain." She countered, crossing her arms. She knew exactly what he was talking about, but he was wrong. It didn't always end badly.

He leaned forward, his aura now menacing. "I'll give you two perfect examples. My uncle and Sasuke." He said sharply. "Though _do_ humor me, if you have a good example."

She leaned towards him as well, refusing to back down. "Fine, I'll match your examples. Naruto and your siblings, Temari and Kankuro."

"Naruto doesn't count. He's like an irritating ball of sunshine. And my siblings hated me for years and they still fear me." He countered.

"But they still love you and care about you. And you can't say that Naruto doesn't count. But fine, I'll list someone else then. Your entire village. Your people love and respect you Gaara, I remember when you got taken by the Akatsuki all those years ago." She said.

"That isn't the love I was talking about."

"Then what type of love were you talking about?" she asked.

He gave her a skeptical stare. "What do you think."

She sighed. "Well if it's _that_ type of love, then you wouldn't know, because your uncle isn't an example of that. That is familial love, not significant other love."

"Whatever it doesn't matter. I don't wanna talk about it." He said once more.

She let out a frustrated noise and stood, walking over to the bars. Suddenly she turned around and placed her hands on her hips. "You know what your problem is Gaara? Your problem is that you completely close yourself off from others. How is anyone supposed to fall in love with you, if you don't even give them a chance to get to know you? And of course it won't work out if you have such a grim outlook on it! No woman is going to want to be with such a killjoy."

He kept his back towards her, he was actually surprised at how much that hurt. "Well then I guess it's a good thing I don't have to worry about that anymore." He snapped, glaring at the wall. This was why he hated people, they pried into things they shouldn't and when he shut down they got mad. It was just easier to be alone, no matter how boring or painful it got.

Her mean expression fell into a sad one. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. It isn't any of my business anyways." She apologized, loosely crossing her arms and looking off down the hallway. Now she felt like a terrible person. She kept forgetting that Gaara wasn't like her. He wasn't used to having people to talk to, and he wasn't used to sharing his thoughts and feelings with anyone, least of all some enemy medic ninja who was too naïve and outgoing for her own good. And now he probably wouldn't open up to her ever again.

"Whatever. It doesn't matter." He leaned forward, placing his elbow on his knee and resting his chin in his palm. At that moment he wished death would come a lot quicker than it was.

Figuring that he wouldn't want to talk to her anymore, she began to pace in front of the bars. She had been here for nearly three weeks, and in that entire time hadn't really trained or anything. Meaning that her muscles would begin to shrink and she would be out of shape if they ever escaped. She shook her head. No, she needed to look on the bright side. Someone would either come for them, or they would make it out alive. Either way, she didn't want to have to train so vigorously to get back to her physical peak. That decided, she stopped pacing and began a series of stretches, loosening her muscles. Once she was done with that she lay down on the ground and began doing curl-ups, deciding to continue until she reached one hundred.

When she couldn't get past seventy-five she felt defeated. Already her body was going complacent from lack of proper use the way she had trained her whole life. And she didn't even have enough energy to continue exercising, since the food they received was crap, and she split the portions with Gaara. Lying sprawled on the floor by the door, she began to cry. "I bet nobody's even looking for us." She said softly to herself. It wasn't likely, since they had been missing for almost a month now. Their villages had probably declared them dead.

"Probably not. I would have declared us dead after ten days." He said solemnly, tapping his fingers on his knee.

His words didn't really help how depressed she was suddenly feeling, and the flow of water down her cheeks increased as she stared at the ceiling. In the end, she wasn't strong enough not to get captured, or to escape. Sasuke was right all those times he had told her how weak she was. And she doubted people would think she died honorably. They would probably assume that she had died because she was so weak, since people only seemed to notice the strength of the males on Team Seven, not her own. "In the end…I really am useless." She whispered. She was nothing without her chakra, just a simpering fool.

He let out an exasperated sigh. "You're not useless."

She had stopped crying, but her mood didn't really improve. "Yes I am. I can't do anything without my chakra. I can't bust down this godforsaken place, I can't heal you, I can't even perform the few jutsu that I know. If any of my team members were in this situation they probably would have figured out how to escape by now. Heck, they wouldn't have even gotten caught. I was always the weak one, and I still am. No matter how much I try I can never surpass them, or even catch up. And now when I die, all people will say is 'Poor Haruno Sakura. If only she hadn't gone out alone, Naruto or Sasuke could have protected her. They're strong, excellent ninja. How foolish of her to think she was a competent kunoichi.'" She said in a voice mimicking an old woman's.

He stood suddenly and walked over her, growing even angrier. He leaned down and grabbed her by the arm and dragged her up, slamming her against the bars of their cell. "Will you shut up! You're starting to piss me off Sakura by saying that _filthy_ Uchiha is better than me. I'm in here too and the last time I checked I wasn't weak." He leaned closer, whispering into her ear then. "That's not the last thing I want to think of when I'm in a dead end situation. You escaped already to try and save me, that's good enough for me. So just shut up already. You're beautiful and strong willed and last time I checked that wasn't a bad thing."

Her heart rate had begun to pick up, but not because she was scared. Being close to the redhead always did this to her for some reason. And he thought she was beautiful? She had never really taken stock in her looks, focusing more on improving once Sasuke had left. Besides, there were much prettier girls out there anyways. And it flattered her that he cared so much as to stop her in her self-loathing. It had always been a habit of hers to let herself down when she felt like a complete failure. She knew it was wrong, but it was part of who she was. "I…think you're a lot better than Sasuke." She said in his ear, meaning every word. If she was stuck here with the Uchiha then he wouldn't have stopped her in her rant, at least, not by telling her she was wrong. Most likely, he would have agreed wholeheartedly with every single one of her statements.

She felt his hand cup her cheek and suddenly her emerald gaze was met with jade. "I am better than Sasuke." He affirmed, "And I'll prove it that I am better than him. Even with emotions." He held her face with both his hands and leaned closer, pressing his lips against hers. He wasn't sure why he kissed her, but the thoughts she had placed in his head of dying without feeling this somewhat frightened him. And he did care for Sakura, more deeply than he probably should. But what the heck? They were both as good as dead anyways.

She was still from his sudden contact, but once her brain registered what was going on she couldn't believe it. Sabaku no Gaara was kissing her, and he was her first. She brought her arms up, wrapping them around his neck as she pressed against him, responding to his kiss vigorously. She didn't even care if this was a onetime thing on his part. She would rather have one kiss with someone she cared for than one of those vile guards as they were trying to force her.

They broke, only when they needed to take a breath, both breathing harshly. "I'm sorry…your words were just resounding in my head. You're the only woman outside my family I've ever actually cared for…I assumed we could kill two birds with one stone." He said a bit awkwardly. But the truth was, he liked the kiss and he really wanted to do it again. Which was odd. He actually wanted physical contact from someone.

She smiled the first genuine one she had in days. She placed her hand on his cheek. "I care for you as well." She said, stroking his skin softly. Then she stood up on her tip toes and placed her lips on his once more, wanting another taste of him. He was very addicting, and she hoped she wasn't overstepping any boundaries by doing this.

He pressed her harder against the bars, she was awakening something inside him that he had never felt before. He kissed her back passionately, moving his hands down her arms and holding her tightly, afraid she might disappear. This was the most alive he had felt in years, which was weird. He didn't know that this was what his life was missing. "I know what I needed now." He mumbled against her lips.

"What?" she asked, kissing him. If she had known kissing Gaara was going to be like this, she would have done it a lot sooner. As it was, she could barely think. Her entire being was focused on the redhead pressed against her. It was as if nothing else but the two of them existed.

"You." He said seriously. Even before their shared physical contact she had made him feel and experience things he never thought he would.

She knew exactly what he meant, for she felt the same. She jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist, kissing him with as much passion as she could muster. His hands went up instantly to support her weight as he kissed her back. She brought her right hand up and threaded her fingers through his hair, tilting his head back slightly and deepening the kiss. Wanting to try something, she opened her mouth against his and licked his soft lips. Then she sucked his bottom lip into her mouth and bit it lightly, releasing it as she pulled away. "I think I've always needed you." She confessed, hoping she hadn't gone too far in her advances.

He caressed her thighs the best he could in this position and slowly stepped back, kneeling down onto their makeshift bed he laid her on her back without breaking the kiss he initiated. They broke once more, pressing their faces together. "Let me show you my need for you, not only my emotional need…" he trailed off then, not thinking he had to go further into detail. She felt his hand on the inside of her thigh, rubbing her most recent scar. "We can make this true."

She whimpered at his touch and nodded her consent. She wanted him, no, needed him badly. She brought down her legs from around his waist in order for it to be easier for her to get undressed. "I've never done this before, so please tell me if I do something wrong." She admitted, beginning to blush at her admission. Because most kunoichi her age had lost their virginities a long time ago. She was just more traditional about it, vowing that she would only give it up to someone that meant a great deal to her. And Gaara did.

He laughed, actually smiling down at her. "Sakura, I have no idea what I'm doing." He smirked, for some reason his admission only swelled him with boldness. At least she had nothing to compare to and this would be bliss for both of them. He took the zipper to her shirt and pulled it down, not allowing his nerves to get the best of him. He was the man in this and he needed to be strong for the both of them. He didn't take his eyes off hers though. He wanted to make sure she was comfortable with his actions. But he didn't slow his advances. He gripped onto the hem of her shorts and skirt and pulled them down swiftly. "Make sure you tell me if you're uncomfortable." He said seriously, giving her a soft kiss and then trailing his lips down her jaw.

Her breath hitched as she arched into his caresses. "I will." She said. Then she reached up and unbuckled his vest, tossing it off to the side once it was removed. She wanted to see him, touch him, make him feel the way she was feeling. She brought her hands back to his chest and unzipped his shirt, smoothing her palms on the planes of his torso once it was revealed to her.

He relished her touch against his flesh, taking his hands from her only to remove the rest of his upper clothing. He leaned back down, kissing her deeply, biting down on her lower lip only making her arch further into him. He reached down, pushing up the only clothing covering her chest. He wanted to feel her flesh against his with nothing between them to create a barrier.

She gasped against his mouth at the feeling of the cold air hitting her breasts. Arching her back a bit more, she reached behind and unclasped her bra, taking it off completely. Then she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed against his chest fully, moaning at the feelings it caused within her. He was so firm, and yet his skin was as smooth as hers. She kissed him lightly on the lips, and then began to trail kisses along his jaw towards his ear, nipping every so often. Then she bit his earlobe lightly, bringing out her tongue to sooth the irritated flesh.

Gaara let out a satisfied groan from her antics. He let his hands trail down her naked sides and grabbed the last piece of clothing adorning her body. Slowly, he removed her underwear and placed his hands between her legs, stroking her with one of his fingers. He smirked against her neck, burying his face deeper into her. Even he knew what the wetness meant. She wanted it just as bad as he did.

She let out a low moan when he touched her, and could feel the heat in her cheeks from his action. She didn't know if it was because he was making her hot or because of her embarrassment, but at the moment, she didn't care. She lay back against the pallet and locked gazes with him, her own eyes showing the lust she was experiencing. Bringing her legs up, she hooked her toes in his pants. Smirking at him, she slowly straightened her legs out, pulling down his pants in the process.

"You know for an innocent you sure are skilled with these." He said teasingly, running his free hand up her slender, perfect legs and not stopping till he had a firm grasp on her behind. She obviously didn't need his assistance in removing what little clothing he had left and when he felt her success he removed his hand from her lower region and positioned himself over her. "Are you ready?"

"Yes." She said with a nod, wanting more than anything to be joined with him in the most intimate way possible.

He took a deep breath. They had nothing to lose right? He placed his hands on either side of her head and quickly pushed inside of her. Even he could not keep the pleasured groan from escaping. It felt even better than he thought it would. No wonder men sought after women's bodies. His brother's actions now made a little more sense, but still, he couldn't help but feel that it only felt this amazing because it was Sakura and no one else. When he was fully inside her, he stared down at her face, noting the pained expression. "I'm hurting you again…" he said agonizingly.

She shook her head. "No, it's fine. I just need a moment to get used to it, that's all." She reassured. It didn't hurt per se, but it felt like she was being stretched wide from the inside out, and the feeling was uncomfortable. He was much bigger than she thought he would be, and was glad she hadn't seen it before he entered her, otherwise she might have chickened out at its size. With her medical knowledge she knew everything would be fine once they started, so she cupped his face and stroked his cheek tenderly with her hand. "You can go ahead and start Gaara, I will be fine in a moment."

"If you're sure…" he paused only for a moment, but knew she probably had more knowledge in this field. After all she was a medic. He repositioned himself and started at a slow pace, despite her words he wanted to make sure he was causing her no harm. She was special to him, especially now. They were sharing the most intimate action a man and a woman could. He lowered his head, resting his forehead against hers. "You are my important person now. I promise I will keep you safe as long as I am able." He wanted to reassure her with words, since that was how she seemed to respond and he knew she would like to hear them.

"I trust you." She said, wrapping her legs around his waist and bringing him deeper inside of her. She gasped at the feeling of pleasure it brought on, and arched into him. It didn't hurt any more, it was actually starting to feel incredibly good.

Taking her advance as a good sign, he started to move faster. It wasn't too hard to pick up on the right actions and his body seemed to know what to do on its own. He let out a satisfied grunt, feeling something like fire erupt inside him. As if something were building, he started to move faster and harder. But he could tell this wouldn't last long, he wasn't used to this feeling and even though the knowledge was unknown to him, he could feel himself about to peak. "Sakura…" he breathed out, lowering his lips to hers and kissing her once again.

She returned his kiss passionately, but pulled away with a pleasured groan as he thrust particularly hard inside her. "Gaara!" she whimpered, moving her hips so that she could meet him thrust for thrust. It somehow increased the pleasure she was feeling, and she could tell that she was about to finish. Suddenly it felt like an explosion went off inside her body, and she screamed in ecstasy as her entire body convulsed around him. It was the most amazing thing she had ever felt in her entire life. His arms gave way, and he fell beside her, removing himself in the process. They both panted loudly, trying to catch their breath. He had felt a lot come from him, probably from all the pent up years. He looked over at his tired companion and smiled.

"Don't know how I lasted that long without knowing what that felt like." He laughed, resting one of his hands over hers.

She turned her head and smiled at him, her chest still rising with her heavy breathing from their activity. "Me either, but I'm glad I shared it with you." She said, flipping her hand so that their fingers intertwined. She was so blissfully happy in that moment, despite the fact that their countries were at war and they were probably going to die here.

"At least now I can die having had it all." he gripped her hand tightly, pulling her towards him. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pressed her body against his. "You have a very beautiful body Sakura, to match with an equally attractive spirit. I'm glad I could share such an experience with such an amazing woman."

She curled into his embrace, bringing a leg up to lay over his intimately. "You don't have such a bad form yourself." She said, idly tracing a pattern on his sculpted chest. She couldn't help but wonder though, if this was going to be the only time they participated in such an activity. She would understand if that was what he wished, but now that she had experienced it with him, she wanted to do it again. As many times as he would let her. She decided to voice her thoughts, needing to know the answer and knowing that he liked it when she was straight with him. "Gaara? Is this a one time thing?" she asked, lifting her head to look up at him.

"What do you mean?" he asked, seeming a bit muddled.

"I mean, can we do it again?" she asked, her face crimson in embarrassment. Great, now she just sounded ridiculous.

He tried not to smirk, knowing it would only make her feel more foolish. "We can as many times as you want. Why not? What do we have to lose? Besides, if we practice we'll get better right?"

She nodded and laid her head back on his chest. "Right. I want to go as many times as you can." She said, feeling a bit bold. And now that she knew it wasn't going to be considered a one night stand sort of thing, she could let herself enjoy it and be happy without having to worry about a thing.

He shut his eyes and nodded, he would make the last days they had blissful. Since that was the only way to feel free from this awful place, he would take her away as many times as she wished. "But for now, I think it's time to rest." He told her, resting his head against hers, enjoying the comfort she gave him.

"Okay." She mumbled sleepily, kissing his chest in a sign of affection. "Goodnight Gaara."

He let a smile play across his features. "Goodnight, dear Sakura." He soothed, running his fingers through her hair absentmindedly. They fell asleep in each other's arms as usual, only this time, both felt a sense of peace that hadn't been there before. One thing was certain though; things would never be the same for either prisoner now.


	6. Day Twenty Six: Epiphanies of Many Kinds

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Six_

-Day 26: Epiphanies of Many Kinds-

Sakura paced the inside of the cell, biting her thumbnail worriedly. She just couldn't figure out what was wrong with her. Lately, she had been having major cravings for all different kinds of foods. But she figured that was just because they gave her and Gaara the same thing to eat every day. On top of that though, sometimes she would get extremely tired for no reason at all. She just felt like sleeping. At this thought she looked over at the redhead, who was snoozing on the pallet shirtless. She paused in her walk and smiled tenderly at him.

Perhaps she was so tired because they made love so often. Ever since that first time, she and Gaara had gone at it at least twice a day, sometimes more. They just couldn't get enough of each other. They had to be careful though, because if they made too much noise then a guard would come down and interrupt them. And if that happened, she didn't know what they would do.

Resuming her pacing, she wiped her brow and noted the sweat. For some reason she was having hot flashes. They weren't too bad or anything, they just annoyed the hell out of her. In an effort to cool off she had removed her boots, skirt, and had unzipped her shirt halfway. But nothing seemed to help. She knew it was only her who thought it hot, since when she asked Gaara he had replied that it was the same temperature it always was. Slightly chilly but not too much to be uncomfortable.

Maybe she was sick and just hadn't properly diagnosed it. Just because she didn't have her chakra didn't mean that she was completely useless as a doctor. There were other ways of discovering such things. After pacing a bit more she halted in her tracks and placed her hand on her stomach. Everything that she was feeling were the signs of a pregnancy. And she was late for her monthly cycle, since she had been here over a month, and was usually pretty regular.

Oh God, she was _pregnant_. With Gaara's baby. She looked over at him and made sure that he was still asleep. It wouldn't do for him to use his uncanny ability to tell when something was wrong and interrupt her little freak out session.

What was she going to do? She had always wanted children, that much was a fact. But this was not the place to give birth. When those men found out about her condition, they would either kill her baby, or take it from her once it was born and use it as a soldier for their own country, since it would most likely possess either her strength or Gaara's sand. Or both. And she did not want that fate for her child.

Her thoughts took a turn in a different direction then. Was it a boy or a girl? What color hair would they have? Whose eyes? Would they look like her, or would they possess more of Gaara's traits? Placing her other hand on her stomach, she looked down and smiled. It didn't matter what the baby looked like, she would love it with all her heart, just like she loved its father. Emerald eyes widened at that thought. It was true, she loved Gaara. How could she not, after everything they had been through together? And she wouldn't have been able to give herself to him if there wasn't some degree of love present. But what about him? How did he feel about her?

She knew that he cared for her, that much was obvious. He stated so many times, and even if he didn't, every once in a while he was so beautifully gentle when they joined it made her want to cry. But he had never said that he loved her, and based on their one conversation about love, she didn't expect him to. It didn't matter, she thought with a shake of her head. She loved him and was carrying a part of him within her. Almost all of her dreams had come true, thanks to the stoic, handsome redhead she shared a cell with. She didn't regret anything said or done with him. The weeks she had spent with Gaara were some of the best in her life, and she had him to thank for it.

She hoped for a son that looked exactly like him. That way, if they escaped and he didn't want her or the baby, she would be reminded of him through their child. Their beautiful, wonderful child. On that train of thought, she wondered how he would react when she told him her news. Sure they had discussed having kids of their own someday, but speculating was completely different than reality, and she didn't know how he would take the knowledge that he was going to be a father.

How would she tell him? _When_ would she tell him? The coward in her came forward then, and she decided not to say anything until the morning sickness arrived. By then she will be completely positive about her condition, since she wasn't able to do a chakra scan of her body, and it would be difficult to hide the knowledge that something was wrong when she was throwing up the little food she ate in front of Gaara.

That decided, she walked over to him and squat down next to his slumbering form. He looked so peaceful in sleep, she felt bad that she was going to wake him up. She crawled over him until she was straddling his waist and began a trail of kisses and licks at his navel, working her way up his stomach and chest until she reached his jaw, nipping him slightly. She continued her trail along his jaw until she reached his ear. She licked the shell of his ear and bit the lobe lightly, feeling his form stiffen under her ministrations. Good, she thought with a smirk, he was fully awake now. She nuzzled his neck affectionately, kissing the smooth column of skin in the process. Now that she knew she loved him, she wanted to show him her love, since she didn't have the courage to tell him so.

"Wake up sleepy head." She said sensually in his ear, bringing her body into contact with his.

"Someone's in a good mood." he smirked sleepily, still keeping his eyes closed. He rested his hands on her hips, pressing into her. He had grown accustomed to her needs and he found himself wanting more and more to fill them. They had been trapped together for a while but it was the most alive he had ever felt. It was hard to think that some of his most fond memories were in a terrible place.

She brought her hands up and threaded her fingers through his hair. Kissing his neck once more, she rose up a bit and kissed the scar on his forehead. "Why wouldn't I be in a good mood? I have a sexy redhead in my bed." She joked, beginning to massage his scalp.

He arched what could be a brow and smirked. "Hm." His smirk fell as he searched her eyes. "Is there something you need to tell me?"

She successfully kept her real emotions off her face, not really surprised that he had caught on to her troubles. "Not at the moment." She said, stroking his cheek. She didn't want to lie to him, and so she answered as truthfully as possible.

"Alright." He smiled, moving his hands up her arms and then to her shoulders, he pulled her down and kissed her sweetly. "You know how I hate it when you don't tell me what's bothering you."

She pressed her forehead against his. "I know. But I'll tell you when the time is right. I promise." She said, kissing him once more.

In one swift motion he rolled on top of her, kissing her and then her cheeks, moving down her face and then to her neck. "I could always make you tell me." he snickered, biting down on her soft flesh every so often. His body stiffened when he heard the familiar slide of metal. He moved off her, taking a more offensive position.

The footsteps grew louder and the two men who were their normal care takers appeared. He stood up and crossed his arms, glaring at the two men who stopped in front of the bars. "Well, congratulations. You two have almost made it for a month, I'm surprised you guys have actually lasted this long."

"It's only cause' they fuck each other. It's the only way they're keeping sane." Kane snickered, poking his head closer. Gaara just glared at the two.

"What do you want."

They both laughed, "We would just like to inform you that your next torture session is coming soon. So sit and wait like a good Kage till we decide to let you suffer."

By now Sakura was standing behind Gaara, her shirt fully closed before they had made it to the cell. She glared at them. "Fine, you've informed us. Now leave." She ordered.

"Sure Pinky, you keep thinking that attitude of yours is going to last. We'll see you real soon." Kane cackled, giving the other man a small hit. "Let's get out of here." He gestured and then the two left.

Gaara sighed, "It's been almost a whole month? It seems longer."

She hugged him from behind, laying her head on his back. "I don't want them to take you away from me again." She said morosely. His burns had been bad enough, since she couldn't do anything to heal them. What if he didn't come back this time?

"I'll be fine," he assured her, resting his hands over hers. "It'll take a lot more than physical torture to break me." He smiled, trying to glance back at her.

She looked up at him and returned his smile, her worry still present in her mind. But she didn't want to worry right now. She wanted to enjoy the time she had with him, however short it might be. She ran her hands up his chest and pressed into him from behind. "Are you sure?" she asked, raising a brow. "Because I can think of plenty of ways to physically torture you." She said, kissing his shoulder blade.

"My dear…_that_ is not torture." He laughed, turning around in her grip and giving her a soft kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. "Though I think it could be true what they said…that you're the only reason I'm slightly sane right now…and not just because we have sex a lot."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled at him. "I feel the same. If you hadn't been captured as well…I don't even want to think of how far gone I'd be right now. And…they were right about something else." She said, giving him a meaningful look. He rose what could be considered a brow, his silent question obvious. "I belong to you Gaara. You're the only person I've ever let this close, both physically and emotionally. If we ever get out of here and have to go our separate ways, no matter how much it will hurt, it will stay that way. Forever." She told him. If it turned out he didn't want her or their child, she would still remain true to him, because after this experience, she didn't want anyone else. They wouldn't be good enough.

He lowered one of his hands, brushing over her new scar that matched his almost perfectly. "I'm still sorry for that… but I know your words are true and it really…makes me happy. Which is odd, something I could never feel before is all I can feel around you. Your beautiful aura is astounding, maybe like Naruto, you have the gift of making people smile and feel joy."

She smiled at him, her most genuine and sincere smile. "You don't know how happy it makes me to hear you say that. But you should know, you're the only reason my aura hasn't been snuffed out in this desolate place."

"Hard to believe, even though I'm such an upbeat person." He teased, pressing his lips against her forehead sweetly. He could feel his body begin to crave for her and her delicate touch.

Sliding her hands down his bare chest, she stopped when she reached his hips. She began to shower his neck and chest with kisses, showing him through her actions how much she cared. "Make love to me Gaara." She mumbled between kisses, pressing against him fully.

He needed no motivation other than her plea. He moved her back and laid her down on their spot where the action had been performed many times before. Each time it only got better. "Of course." He whispered into her ear, already beginning the ritual of undressing her. Whatever torture they could think up would do nothing but pale in comparison to the way her body made his feel. And that was enough to keep him going all through the night.


	7. Day Thirty One: Attempt

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Seven_

-Day 31: Attempt-

It had been five days since their last visit from the two they called 'caretakers'. It was actually beginning to annoy Gaara at how long they were taking with their taunt. But he knew it was all part of their plan, to make him anxious. "I wish they would just come already and get it over with. The wait is driving me insane." He growled out, messing with what was left of his clothing. He grabbed the bars and leaned forward the best he could to try and get a look at the large metal door.

Sakura fully disagreed with him. She would be perfectly fine if they never came to get him. But, if she were in his position, she would probably feel the same way. She came up next to him and followed his gaze. "I'm sure they won't disappoint. I just hope they don't do anything too bad to you. I'm running out of somewhat sterile clothes to cover our wounds with." She said, looking down at her own tattered apparel.

It was then that they heard the familiar sliding of the metal bolt. They backed away from the bars together, Gaara staying protectively in front of his pink haired companion. Four men walked in, giving them both a once over. "Come on Kazekage." One said seriously. He knew that the redhead was more resilient to their torture than anyone they had ever encountered. But of course, he wasn't the Kazekage of Suna for nothing. They opened the cage and two of the men walked in, grabbing him by both arms and jerking him forward. "Behave Pinky, or we might not bring him back." They smirked, slamming the bars closed. The four left and Sakura sighed, running her hand through her hair. She was nervous, having not been left alone in a long while. The door opened again and a look of confusion crossed her face.

"I don't understand. What's going on?" she asked the men who came down the hallway. They only laughed as one pulled out a set of keys.

"We need you for insurance. Hurting you is the only way we'll make the Kazekage crack." He informed her, opening the door.

Her eyes widened in alarm. They were going to hurt her? She wouldn't let them, since now she had another life to protect. Before he could stop her, she grabbed the two kunai that had been stashed underneath their pallet since Gaara had first been taken. She attacked the man then, managing to skillfully avoid him and stab him between the ribs. The other man came in before she could finish him off, and successfully stopped her, causing her to drop her weapons as he painfully twisted her arms, causing her to let out a small scream of pain.

"Don't hurt her. Remember what Koga-sama said." The one with the wound said, standing slowly. She hadn't made it too deep, so he could still walk. They took her out of the cell then, and headed towards the torture chamber. She didn't struggle, not wanting to give them a reason to hurt her further. She only prayed they didn't hurt her baby.

* * *

Gaara was sitting once more at the table, with his arms strapped down securely. He'd been through this enough. They no longer intimidated him, nothing they could do would ever make him talk and that truth would stand. He was growing tired of this though. Without his chakra, his stamina had slowly been decreasing and he was actually starting to feel weaker. He followed the pacing leader with his gaze, watching him with a bored expression. He stopped finally, placing his hands on the other side of the table. "Gaara, you must understand how irritated I am with you. I've got a prisoner who won't even give me the pleasure of an emotion. Can you not sympathize?"

"Not really."

Koga tried to hide his irritation and looked off. "Kazekage, we are going to kill you if you don't tell us what we want to know."

"You are going to kill me if I tell you, so forgive me if I'm not shaking." He said simply, remaining cool and collected. It was the best way to deal with these men anyway. "As you said before, you think I sympathize. I understand what you will do because I would do the same thing. But you have let it draw out for too long. That was your fatal mistake…that and taking the wrong prisoners." He smirked, knowing Sakura had yet to give them anything they wanted either.

Koga sighed, crossing his arms and taking a step back. "I really hate to do this Gaara, but you give me no choice." He glanced over his shoulder and gave one of his lackeys a nod. The door opened and Gaara focused curiously on the men now walking in.

"Let me go!" Sakura yelled at the two men dragging her into the room. Gaara couldn't stop the shock from appearing on his face, which only made Koga smirk.

"Finally, some reaction." The leader said proudly looking back at Sakura.

Gaara shifted his eyes from Sakura and glared at Koga. "What the hell is she doing in here?" he actually yelled, trying to get up, but his restraints held him to the table.

"This is our new form of your torture…now until you start talking…we're going to do bad things to your little cherry blossom." He laughed darkly, running his long fingers through her pink hair.

"You touch her and I will _kill_ you!" Gaara shouted angrily, standing despite the pain shooting up his arms from the angle he was creating.

Koga reached toward Sakura and gripped her by her hair, forcing her head forward. "I'd like to see you try." He pulled out a kunai then and lowered it to her stomach. "We've marked her leg, maybe we should move a bit higher, don't want her to scar all in one place."

Sakura's eyes widened and she shook her head furiously, pure fear showing on her face. If they cut her stomach, she could lose her and Gaara's child. "No! Don't hurt my baby!" she yelled, trying to struggle out of the men's grasps. Her admission caused the leader to still in his movements and whip his head up from her stomach to her face, shock written all over his.

The entire room froze, but none was more surprised than Gaara. Baby? Sakura was pregnant? It took a moment for realization to finally sink in. Sakura was pregnant with his child. Suddenly he grew enraged, his only instinct now was to protect her and their child. Without him even moving sand swirled in from the edges of the room and from the crack in the door and condensed into two sharp spears, running straight through the two holding her. He started to laugh darkly and soon it turned into a maniacal cackle. He could feel his chakra surging through his body. It was electrifying, the feel of his own power, and now he would protect what was precious to him. He didn't understand how the seal broke but it was obviously no longer hindering him. The sand swarmed back to its master and ripped off the restraints. After that it was all a blur, some of the men were running, some were trying to fight, and others just accepted the fact that they were dead. But the second Gaara reached Sakura and wrapped his arms around her, they were gone in a wisp of sand.

The next time she opened her eyes she was met with the bright shining sun that was high in the sky. They were standing on a small forest path. Seeing her confusion he cleared his dry throat. "We're in River country. Far away from those people."

She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, loving the smell of fresh air and the feel of the sun. She was free. Her eyes shot open as she realized that now Gaara knew about her condition. She had said it on pure instinct, her need to protect her child overriding her entire being. It wasn't how she had wanted to tell him, but it was too late now.

Stepping away from his embrace, she looked into his eyes and lifted her shirt slightly, revealing her seal. "Will you remove it please? I need to check…" she trailed off, too overcome with worry to finish. What if something had happened during their escape?

He glanced down, seeing past her seal. There was something inside there. He just knew it, which was odd because he could feel nothing. He matched each finger up to a prong on her seal and then looked back up into her eyes. He applied a bit of pressure and mumbled a release. He felt some chakra seep into her skin and the seal vanished. "It might take you a bit longer to feel all of it come back since you don't have as much as I do and mine kind of exploded out…sorry about that by the way…if I scared you."

She shook her head. "You could never scare me. And, if I looked scared…it wasn't because of you." She said softly, placing both of her hands on the sides of his face in order to fully reassure him. Feeling some of her chakra coming back, she stepped away from him once more and placed her hands on her stomach. Shutting her eyes in concentration, her brow furrowed as her hands glowed a soft green. It took a bit of searching, but eventually she found it. A faint foreign chakra signature within herself, and it was completely healthy. Apparently, her body had sent most of the nutrients she gained to the baby, as it should have. And under some miracle, she wasn't as malnourished as she had originally thought. She could even tell what sex the baby was, since she was a little over a week along. It was a boy, just as she had wanted.

Emerald eyes opened and she looked back up at Gaara. "He's fine. Perfectly healthy." She told him with a slight smile, lowering her arms. Sadness entered her face then. "I was going to tell you, I just didn't know how…and I wanted to be completely sure of it first." She explained, not knowing if he was upset or not. "Are you mad?"

"I'm not mad. It's my fault so…I really have no place to be upset, which I promise I'm not. I guess I just wasn't thinking about the fact that we would get out…so I didn't really restrain myself." He scratched his head. This kind of complicated things. "Well…" he breathed out after a bit of silence settled between the two. "I'll make sure you get back to Konoha I guess…just so you guys are safe…I'm sure Naruto will be ecstatic to see you alive."

"Yeah." She said softly, looking at the ground. So it was true, he didn't want them. It didn't matter that he wasn't upset, he wasn't happy either. He was just going to make sure they made it to Konoha safely out of guilt, so that he could go back to Suna with a clear conscience. He would probably forget about them after that. Her eyes began to water. She had prepared herself for this, but hadn't thought it would hurt this much.

Her demeanor surprised him and he really didn't know what to do. He thought she would be happy to be free and go back to Konoha. He knew that the child needed to be brought up with his mother, and Sakura belonged in Konoha. And there was simply no way he could be there with her. But he didn't understand why she was crying now. Was it the hormones? "Sakura…what's wrong? I thought you would be happy. You can go home and raise our baby, I mean at least you'll get to see him grow up…so, I don't understand why you are upset."

Her head shot up, eyes full of accusation. "How could I be happy when you don't want us?" she yelled. She hugged herself then, and her tears began to flow down her cheeks. "Y-you aren't even h-happy." She stuttered, working herself into hysterics now. This was even worse than when she had been rejected by Sasuke all those years ago.

He only looked more confused. "Why would I be happy if I can't be with you…?" he asked, was he missing something? "Sakura…I said that because you love Konoha…I can't go there with you…I'm the leader of your village's biggest threat, other than Iwa, and I just want you to be happy. All your friends are there and in my village they will just try to turn him into a weapon. That's how it is. I would never take our child from you to have that be his fate." He stared down at her sadly. He didn't understand why she was saying these things. He was only thinking about her best interests, even if he didn't get what he wanted in the end.

"B-but you s-still don't w-want us, you d-don't even look happy about b-being a f-father." She sputtered. Hearing how pathetic she sounded, she took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. "I will go to Konoha if that is what you wish." She said softly, wiping the tearstains off her cheeks. "You can forget about us after that." She placed a hand on her stomach, the life leaving her eyes as she spoke, causing them to look devoid of all emotion. By now she had completely shut down. She would remain strong, for her son. If Gaara wanted to just pretend like nothing had ever happened between them in that cell, then it was fine with her. She wasn't going to break her promise though. He would remain the only man she ever loved, no matter if he didn't feel the same.

Gaara grabbed his head in irritation, giving her a harsh glare. "What the hell are you talking about? Sorry that I'm a _little_ shocked right now. I'm trying to handle this calmly because you're freaking out enough for the both of us!" he yelled. "And why do you keep saying I don't want you? I _just_ said that I did. Is this freakish behavior because of your hormones, cause' you weren't this manic depressant when we were trapped underground for a month." He leaned over her then, using his height to his advantage. "What are you expecting Sakura, I've been emotionally devoid my entire life, I don't _know_ how to react to anything." He crossed his arms, daring her to interrupt him. Now he was ranting, he didn't like it but she was starting to make him angry with all these odd assumptions. "I _want_ my child, ok? I want you. What more do you want me to say. I'm just trying to think of how this can work out, I don't want to take you away from your home!"

She grew angry at him, the emotion showing clearly in her gaze. So he wanted their child because of what it would be able to do, and he wanted her for the sex? Because she saw no other reason for him to want them. She wanted him because she loved him, but it was apparent that he didn't feel the same. "Why are you yelling at me? I just said I would go to Konoha!" she yelled in his face, throwing her arms in the air in frustration.

"Oh my God!" he yelled back, throwing his hands up and turning his back to her, walking off a bit. He ran his hands down his face and tried to get a grip on what little sanity he retained. He was trying really hard not to kill her right now. He didn't know how to handle this sort of reaction. He turned back to her and let out a deep, calming breath. "I have no idea what's going on in that crazy little pink head of yours but you obviously are assuming things that are not true. And why are you acting like such a psycho, I've been near a pregnant woman before and she didn't try and rip my head off. I didn't even do anything! I'm trying to make you happy! Why would you leave your friends and family just to be with me?" he demanded, not grasping why she was causing such a scene.

"Because I love you, you big idiot!" she yelled, her anger in full swing. "I don't know how, I don't know why, but I do. So _excuse_ me for getting a little upset when the man I love, the father of my _child_, suggests I leave him and go home." She said, crossing her arms and turning her back on him, glaring off down the path. Her scowl slowly began to leave her face as she realized what she had just admitted. Fearing the worst, she slowly tensed, preparing for the rejection she had always received when expressing her feelings.

Gaara just stared at her back, wide eyed, his arms hanging limply at his sides. She loved him? I mean, she had _made_ love to him, but she actually loved him? He didn't know what to do, he didn't even know what to think. So of course, he did the absolute worst thing possible and started laughing. "You really must be out of your mind if you're actually in love with me." He finally got out between his laughs. The concept was so foreign to him that he really couldn't even register it. He walked to her and turned her around before she could attempt to break away from his grasp. "You're either the stupidest…or bravest woman I've ever met." He smirked, grabbing her chin and kissing her deeply. When they finally broke he smiled down at her. "I'm sorry if I'm not reacting how I'm supposed to, but you have to understand I don't know how I should. I am happy, that's why I saved you and our baby. Because…I love you too I think, I've never felt this for anyone before. But I assume it's what love must feel like."

She just stared at him, wide eyed and speechless. He hadn't rejected her. When he had begun to laugh she felt her tears begin anew, but then he kissed her, and said that he loved her in return. Deciding to forego words, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately, pouring her love into the kiss. When she pulled away for air, she smiled slightly. "If you love me, then I don't see why I have to leave you. I want to stay with you, and for our son to grow up with both of his parents. Can I not stay with you in Suna?" she asked, hoping that she could. Now that she knew of his feelings, she never wanted to be apart from him, ever again.

"Of course you can." he said with a small smile. He looked down at her, keeping his arms tightly around her. "I just didn't want to take you away from your home."

She smiled tenderly at him, bringing her hands up and threading her fingers in his hair, as was one of her favorite things to do. "My home is wherever you are Gaara." She said simply.

His smile widened and then suddenly fell, "But you do realize…" a pained expression washed over his façade. "That if you come with me…you will be tagged as a traitor to Konoha…and they will be your enemy…right?"

She nodded, having already considered it. "I love you more than my village. My friends, if they are my true friends, will understand. Especially Naruto. He'll actually be ecstatic. And I won't be sent out into the field unless it is absolutely necessary, since my place is mainly in the hospital tending the wounded. So there is a low chance of me actually having to fight any of my old comrades." She explained.

"Right…and I would never make you do such an act." He assured her, running his hands up her arms and then slowly back down, finally resting one on her stomach. "So…there's really a baby in there…huh?"

She smiled happily. "Uh huh! I probably won't begin to show for another three months or so, but he's in there!" she said, finally allowing herself to become excited as she looked down at where his hand rested on her stomach. An odd thought entered her head then, and she looked back up to Gaara with a worried expression. "You don't think he'll have pink hair too, do you? I mean, he'll never hear the end of it."

He blinked and returned his worried gaze to hers. "I hope not, no offense or anything…but I might just have to return you back to Konoha." He smirked, making sure she knew he was kidding. He kissed her forehead softly and sighed, "We could always just dye it. But I think we'll be ok, he is my son too after all."

"Let's hope so. I want him to look just like his daddy. And maybe have my eyes. Maybe." She said, her smile returning.

"That might be an overload on intense colors if he has my hair and your eyes." he snickered, pulling away from her then and taking her hand in his. "Come on Sakura, time to go home and shower and eat something delicious. Then…we plan our attack on Iwa." He smirked darkly.

"Correction." She said, holding up a finger. "We go home, shower, eat, make love, and _then_ we plan the total and complete annihilation of Iwa." She said, her look matching his.

He gave her a curious glance. "We can still have sex? Won't it…you know…hit the baby?" he asked a bit childishly, a soft pink dusting across his cheeks for the first time.

Now it was her turn to laugh, but only a bit. "No Gaara, he will be fine. Actually, we can have sex all the way until the baby is born, all you have to do is use a few different positions." She recited, remembering something she had read once in a medical textbook. "And, pregnancy is proven to increase the female's responses to touch and sex drive, so I hope you're prepared." She said, giving him a mischievous look.

"Interesting…" he pondered, tapping his chin. "Well let's hurry back to Suna and get started on these new techniques." He smirked, pulling her against his body. His sand wrapped around them quickly and then they were gone, off to face their new life together.

**Note: Not the end.**


	8. Assault

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Eight_

-Assault-

_**Six Years Later…**_

Sakura stopped in front of the gates to her old village and took a fortifying breath. She hadn't been back to Konoha since before she and Gaara had been captured all those years ago. And now she was back in order to try and negotiate a peace treaty between her new and old homes. A hand was placed on her shoulder, and she turned to see Temari smile at her. "Are you ready?" she asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Sakura replied, returning her sister-in-law's smile. Then she looked down at the two identical six year old girls, who were each holding one of her hands, both were dressed in the same dress, only differing in colors. One was trimmed with a dark blood red and the other with a soft pink. "Now remember girls, stay with me and Aunt Temari at all times. Even though mommy has old friends here, we still need to be careful." She warned the miniatures of herself.

Two sets of jade stared back. "Yes Mommy, we promise." They said in unison. They may be young, but both of their parents made sure that they were fully aware of the war and its happenings, and they understood the dangers and risks their mother was taking by coming here, along with the ones their father was by letting them come. He would have come with them, but wasn't allowed in the village as a precaution.

The group made their way forward and entered the village. At the sight of her old home, Sakura smiled. It was the same as she remembered. Her daughters looked on with different expressions. One uncaring, and the other was wide eyed and in awe. It was just so different from her own home in the desert. "Mommy, can we explore?" the one on her right asked, looking up at her parent.

"We'll see Natsumi. I don't know how we will be received, and I don't want to take any unnecessary risks." The elder woman replied, giving some of the villagers' wary looks. She could tell that they remembered and knew who she was, and they didn't seem too thrilled about her presence in the village. She also didn't appreciate the looks they were giving her daughters.

As they neared the Hokage Tower, Temari stopped in her tracks and tensed. Sakura did the same, moving the twins behind herself and the blonde to shield them from the large source of chakra speeding directly towards them. Recognizing the owner of said chakra, the pink haired woman stood fully. Suddenly a yellow flash came before them, and she was wrapped in a fierce embrace. "Sakura-chan!" a familiar voice shouted in her ear.

She hugged the man back, inhaling his scent of ramen with a smile. "Naruto! You're hugging too hard!" she laughed out. He set her down and stepped back, giving her a warm smile.

"Sorry, but when you haven't seen your best friend in over nine years, you get a little excited." He laughed, scratching the back of his head self-consciously.

She waved it off. "I know, sorry. But you know how it is." She joked.

"Yeah." He agreed. Then he looked at Temari and smiled, seeing two heads of pink poke out from behind her. "Hey Sakura-chan, why didn't you tell me you had two beautiful daughters?" he asked, looking back at his friend.

She crossed her arms defensively. "I would have, but you just hugged me with no warning!" this caused him to laugh. One of the girls ran up to him then, having judged that he was okay, since her mom hadn't punched him and her aunt wasn't tense anymore. Plus, he had said she was beautiful.

"Well aren't you a pretty little thing?" he asked, looking down at the Sakura miniature.

"I have to be pretty, because I'm a princess." she declared, giving the tall blonde her most fetching smile that mirrored her mother's. Naruto smiled down at her and placed his hands on his hips.

"Is that so? Well, if you're a princess, then I should be given your name, so that I can address you properly my Lady." He said with a bow. The girl just giggled, instantly liking the strange man.

Sakura rolled her eyes. He didn't know how greatly he was feeding her youngest's ego. "Naruto, this is Natsumi." She said, gesturing to the girl before him. Then she looked over at her other daughter, who was now standing in front of her aunt with her arms crossed. "And this is Satomi."

"Such lovely names." He said. Temari spoke up then.

"We should get going, so we can see the Hokage as soon as possible." She said, not wanting to spend any unnecessary time there.

Naruto slapped his hand to his cheek. "Oh yeah! Baa-chan sent me out here to greet you! And then take you to her office!" he declared, suddenly remembering the whole reason he had been sent outside.

Sakura hit him over the back of his head. "Well why didn't you say so baka? Come on girls, let's go." She said, taking her daughter's hands and walking towards the entrance to the tower.

Naruto led them upstairs to the Hokage's office. Then he threw the door open, halting the conversation in the room. "Hey Baa-chan! Look what I brought you!" he exclaimed, entering the room, only to be punched back out of it and hit the hallway wall before the rest could enter.

"Knock next time you idiot! Its protocol and good manners!" someone yelled grumpily. Sakura led the way into the room then, her daughters and Temari close behind.

"Since when has Naruto ever had good manners Shishou?" she asked, smiling at her old mentor. Next to the desk was Kakashi, who just waved.

"Yo." He said in his normal, uncaring way. Sakura nodded at the silver haired man and waited for the blonde Hokage to say something.

Tsunade laced her fingers together and rested her chin on them, appraising her old apprentice and the two girls with her. "Sakura." She said by way of greeting. The truth was, she was happy to see the pink haired medic, it had just been so long, and she had thought that the young woman was dead. That is, until one of their Anbu reported her still alive and living in Suna, married to the Kazekage with three children.

"Shishou." She replied seriously, all previous joking gone. Tsunade looked at the twins and then back at Sakura.

"You're going to train them?" she asked.

Sakura snorted and crossed her arms. "Of course I am. What did you think I would do?" she asked.

Tsunade smiled. "Excellent. I would expect no less from my apprentice."

It warmed Sakura's heart to hear her mentor call her that. It meant that she wasn't upset with her for leaving and never coming back. Naruto came into the room then. "Why is it when you two are always around I get punched?" he whined, rubbing his jaw.

"Because you say and do stupid things." Kakashi observed, turning the page in a familiar orange book.

The blonde Jinchuuriki placed his hand over his heart. "That hurts sensei. That really, really hurts."

Kakashi just shrugged and stood. "Lady Tsunade. Sakura." He said, nodding to each before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Tsunade looked at the group in the room. "The meeting isn't until tomorrow. I have reserved a suite for you in a hotel, and it will be guarded by Naruto and Kakashi. Nobody will get in without their say so." She said. She didn't think that anyone would try and attack the group, but in the times they lived in, one never knew. "Naruto will escort you to where you will be staying. You're dismissed." She said, picking up a scroll and unrolling it.

As everyone began to file out, Sakura ran over and hugged her mentor. "It's nice to see you again Shishou." She said before letting go and following her daughters out. Tsunade just smiled. She knew exactly how her student felt.

* * *

The next morning Sakura stood before Naruto's house, her daughters with her. "Okay sweeties, Aunt Temari and I are going to the meeting with Naruto. Please behave for Hinata, and be nice to Minako." She said, giving them a meaningful look. It went unsaid that if anything went wrong there would be hell to pay from their mother.

They looked away from each other and off to the side with scoffs, mimicking their father almost perfectly. "We know how to behave mother." they said together, giving her their own look.

"Good. I'll be back before dinner." She told them, giving each a kiss on the forehead. With a wave to Hinata she, Temari, and Naruto left, off to go discuss politics with a bunch of old people.

Hinata led the girls into her house, and suddenly there were frantic footsteps on the stairs. "Mama! Daddy ate all the ramen!" a young girl cried, entering the room. She had light blue, pupil-less eyes, and dark hair, tied up in a small ponytail. She looked at the two pink haired girls, confused. "Who are you?" she asked.

"I'm Natsumi." One of the twins said proudly.

"And I'm Satomi." The other said, a bit less energetically.

Hinata smiled down at the two and then to her own daughter. "Minako, these are the Kazekage's daughters."

Her face lit up in recognition. "Oh! Hi! My daddy has told me stories about when he and your mom were on a team together. It's nice to meet you." She waved, smiling happily. Now she would finally have some friends that were girls.

They both stared at her oddly, taking in her appearance and then the woman that was assigned to watch them. They had never been left alone with a stranger before.

"Hello." they said in unison both smiling together. They had extremely beautiful smiles, but then again Sakura was their mother. "So what do you do around here for fun?" Natsumi asked, gripping onto her pink rimmed dress excitedly.

"I have a bunch of games and toys and stuff in my room if you wanna go check it out." Minako said, gesturing to the stairs.

Natsumi seemed a bit disappointed with the answer. She wanted to go and see the village and explore. "Ok," she shrugged, following Minako back up the stairs. Satomi sighed and looked up at Hinata.

"Can we make cookies?"

Hinata smiled at her. "Of course dear. What kind would you like to make?" she asked, leading her to the kitchen.

"Chocolate chip." She nodded, following silently. She didn't like this place and was beginning to feel uncomfortable without their mother's presence. Baking always helped her remain calm when Suna was being attacked, so it should work for this situation, right?

Not even fifteen minutes later Minako ran into the kitchen. "Mama, I lost her! I don't even know how Natsumi-chan got away!" the dark haired girl yelled.

"What?" Hinata gasped, lavender eyes going wide. If word traveled that she had lost the Kazekage's daughter, they were all going to die.

"I wouldn't worry about it," Satomi said simply, pulling a cookie off one of the cooling trays. She bit into it and smiled happily at the delicious flavor.

Minako walked forward and took a cookie, biting into it and smiling at the flavor. "What makes you say that Satomi-chan?"

She arched her brow, giving the new girl a skeptical look. "I think I know my sister a little better than you, she's always doing reckless things. But she takes after daddy, so she's always safe."

The dark haired girl shrugged, trusting her friend, since she knew that the Kazekage was incredibly strong. "Okay."

Hinata ignored the two girls and walked out of the room, off to send out a summons to search for the young Sabaku.

* * *

Natsumi walked through the busy streets of Konoha, marveling at all the wonderful things this place had to offer. It went unnoticed to her, but almost everyone had to do a take back to see the pink haired girl. They could all make the connections of who the mother was and the dark over her jade eyes indicated the father. After roaming around the market place, Natsumi found herself near a park filled with cherry blossom trees. She blinked and looked around, she hadn't intended to head this way, she was actually going to try and get back to Hinata's house. She turned around and tried to find a familiar path but it all looked the same to her. "Uh oh…"

"Why is your hair pink?" a voice asked her from behind. She turned to see a boy with dark hair and forest green eyes. He wore a navy blue t-shirt and khaki pants, and was giving her hair a skeptical look.

"Huh?" she blinked, attempting to look up and see her hair. "What do you mean?" she asked innocently, placing both her hands on her head.

"There is no such thing as pink hair. Are you sick or something?" he asked, stepping forward in order to see if she wasn't feeling well.

She arched a brow and lowered her hands from her head, crossing her arms. "Obviously there is such a thing since I have it."

"There's no way it's real."

"It is!" she huffed.

"If it's real, then you won't care if I take a closer look, right?' he asked, raising a brow.

She smirked and placed her hands on her hips, "You can even touch it if you need more proof." She stepped towards him in order to give him a closer look. She averted her gaze, now getting a full look at him. He was really, _really_ cute.

He closed his eyes and scrunched his brow. When they opened again they were a deep red, with one singular black tomoe in it. Then he stepped up to her and reached for her hair, touching it gently. After a while he was convinced that it was real and stepped away from her, still holding her pink strands in his hand. "Wow, it is real. And soft." He observed, his eyes still red.

When he didn't release her locks she blinked and turned a slight pink. "Um…you can let go now…if you want to…" she added shyly, touching her fingers together nervously. This was weird, she'd never felt bashful in front of anyone before.

He locked gazes with her and his eyes widened slightly, realizing that he had yet to release her hair. He dropped it and his cheeks turned a light pink. "Sorry."

"It's ok!" She smiled brightly, taking both his hands in hers. "If you want to touch my hair you can touch it all you want."

He gave her an odd look. "You're strange…but I like it." He said, deactivating his sharingan. "I'm Akito by the way. Who are you? I've never seen you around the village before, and trust me, I know what every girl here looks like." He said.

"I'm Natsumi." She said happily, unable to stop her smile. "And I'm not from here, we're just visiting."

"Oh, so you like the park?" he asked, looking around.

She looked around as well and shrugged. "I've never seen green before but it's interesting. Though I was only here by accident, I'm lost." She admitted, rubbing the back of her head. "Though I suppose it wasn't bad, I was bored and just walking around but I got to meet you."

"Well it's around lunchtime and I was gonna go home and eat…you can come too if you want." He offered, lowering his hand.

"Really? Yeah sure!" she clapped her hands together, following him as he led her towards a nice looking area with large houses. She looked around noticing some symbols along the wall. She looked to Akito's back and noted the matching fan on the back of his shirt.

"This one is my house." He told her, gesturing to a large traditional looking house. He opened the door and waited for her to enter first.

She walked in and looked around in awe, it wasn't as big as her house but it was very nice and she liked the style. It was much different than the housing in Suna. "I really like your house."

"Thanks. Don't touch any of the swords though, or my dad will flip." He told her, shutting the door and leading her into the kitchen. He opened the fridge and looked inside, scanning its contents. "Hm, do you like grilled cheese sandwiches?" he asked, looking at her over his shoulder.

She nodded excitedly, sitting down in one of the chairs at the kitchen table. "So you know if this treaty goes through well Konoha and Suna won't be enemies anymore. That's why we're here, my mom has come to talk to her master about it. Since my dad isn't allowed in the village. She brought us because the elders said they needed collateral that we weren't trying to attack you guys." She told him, seeming to enjoy hearing herself speak and probably saying more than she should.

He gave her a weird look and pulled out some cheese and a knife, slicing it evenly. After all, it wasn't a guarantee that things would go smoothly, so it wasn't really smart to be giving away so much information. He turned on the stove, and while it heated up he got the sandwiches ready. "So your dad is the Kazekage?" he asked, putting things together. His father had told him of his old teammate that had pink hair and betrayed their village, running away with Suna's Kage. But he wouldn't mention it, since he liked this girl and didn't want to offend her.

"Yup. My daddy is the leader of Suna. He's pretty much the strongest ninja that ever lived! Well, of course, until I get old enough to fight! I'll make sure Iwa can never fight again!" she nodded, getting down from her seat and starting to look for the plates. She reached up with some difficulty and pulled two down helping him since he was being nice enough to make her lunch. "I'll be the most unbeatable princess ever." She assured him, grabbing down some napkins from the counter.

"Princess?" he asked, raising a brow at her as he placed her sandwich on the skillet.

She looked over at him and smiled, "Of course, I'm the Kazekage's daughter. My daddy calls me his precious little princess so it must be true. Besides, my mommy says I might turn out even more beautiful than she is. And princesses are always beautiful." She said pointedly.

He shrugged. "Well, my dad owns all the houses past the gate we walked in earlier, and technically I'm the sole heir to the Uchiha fortune….so I guess that makes me a prince." He observed, taking the sandwiches off the skillet and turning the stove off. He put the sandwiches on plates and set them on the table. Then he held her chair out for her, ever the gentleman.

She stared at him in awe, running from her spot by the counter and taking his hands once more. "A prince? You know what that means!" she started giggling from her discovery.

"What?" he asked, staring at her oddly. This girl was really weird.

"That means that we were meant to be together and that we have to get married! A princess always marries a prince. It's destiny!" she laughed, looking more happy than she ever had.

"Um…ok. Let's eat before the sandwiches get cold." He said, gesturing for her to take a seat.

Her smile fell and was replaced by a sad look. "Are you saying you don't want to marry me?" she asked, her lip quivering. "Why? I'm nice and pretty and…and…" she felt her eyes swell with tears.

His eyes widened at the sight of her sadness. Wanting to fix his blunder, he placed his hands on her shoulders. "No! That's not it! It's just….uh…isn't the guy supposed to ask the girl to marry him, and not the other way around? You just caught me off guard was all." He said, thinking on his feet.

She stared up at him, still teary eyed though they weren't falling. "Well…" she pushed a bit, looking as if she were expecting something.

"So…when we're older, we can get married. I mean…we have to be at least eighteen, cause' then we'll be adults." He said, counting out the years in his head. He wouldn't mind marrying her anyways. She was cute and interesting, so it wouldn't be that bad. I mean, his father had always said marriage was dumb, since he had never married his mother, but he liked to think that it would be cool. Naruto and Hinata seemed to be happy with their marriage, and Minako was always happy.

"R-really?" she gasped jumping forward and flinging her hands around his neck and hugging him tightly. "I can't wait then! Right when I turn eighteen I'll come to visit you and then we can get married! That's only twelve years away, but I'm sure time will go by quickly." She got up on her tip toes and kissed his cheek sweetly. "And I'll train super hard so that I can fight with you against all the bad nations."

He smiled. "Okay. We should eat now, grilled cheeses don't taste good when they're cold." He said.

"Oh right, right!" she sat down in her offered seat and waited for him to sit down before taking a bit out of her sandwich. She made a noise of approval and took another large chomp. "These are really good." she told him with her full mouth. She blushed and covered her mouth with her hand and swallowed. "Um…thank you for making me this." she bowed her head in thanks.

He smiled at her. She was kinda cute. "It's no problem. My Aunt Hinata taught me how to cook a few things, since my dad sucks at it." He said, eating his sandwich.

"My dad too," she laughed, continuing in her meal. "He's only good at breakfast, but whose bad at that?" she snickered, but the mention of her father caused a wave of sadness to wash over her. She missed him a lot. She'd never been away from him before.

"Are you okay?" he asked, taking a drink of water.

She looked over at him and realized she had let her emotion show on her face. "Yeah, I'm ok." She gave him a smile, but he could tell there was still something hidden. "I just miss my dad is all. I've never been away from home before and people have tried to kill me when I was in my own village, so it's kinda scary being out here without him."

"Don't worry Natsumi, I promise to protect you whenever you are away from your village and in danger." He said, straightening in an attempt to appear more masculine. His life had been threatened to a few times, but his father always took care of it.

She stared at him in awe, a small blush dusting across her cheeks. "Ok and I promise I'll protect you in whatever way you need." She smiled, promising with all her heart. "Even if it's not protecting you physically."

He nodded, even though he didn't think he would need her help emotionally. He heard the front door open and froze, his eyes widening slightly. His father wasn't supposed to be home for a few more hours. He immediately stood from his chair, his entire form stiff as he faced the entrance to the kitchen. She watched him, looking around the room and then feeling the large chakra. She got up from her seat and stood by him, not knowing what she should do. The footsteps came closer and suddenly there was a dark haired man standing in the doorway. He was obviously Akito's father, the likeness was uncanny. Onyx eyes focused on the only bright color in his house and instantly turned to a glare.

Natsumi stepped forward and bowed respectfully, "Hello! I'm Natsumi! You must be Akito's dad." She smiled sweetly, looking beautifully innocent.

He ignored her and looked right at Akito, raising a haughty brow. "Father, she was lost in the village, and it was almost lunch time, so I invited her home to eat something." He explained, keeping his face blank.

"Hn." Sasuke said, looking around his kitchen. "You didn't clean the tools you used to make lunch. You also got cheese on the stove top, and the fridge is slightly ajar. If you are going to invite people over to my house without my knowledge, at least keep it clean and presentable. You are disgracing the Uchiha name." he berated.

Akito looked down at the ground in shame. "Yes Father. I apologize for the mess." He said softly.

"Just clean it up before she leaves. And once she is gone, I want to review your taijutsu. The moves I taught you last week are lacking." The elder Uchiha said, turning and leaving the room.

"Yes Father." He repeated, now thoroughly embarrassed that he had been reprimanded in front of Natsumi.

Natsumi stared wide eyed after the elder Uchiha. There was no way that had just happened. She couldn't even believe it. That had been Akito's father, yet he was so mean and judging to his son. Her father never told her anything but encouraging things. Finally she looked back over at Akito and saw his downcast face. "Are you ok?" she asked softly, touching his arm gently.

He looked over at her and placed his stoic face in place, trying to mimic his father. He was unsuccessful though, because some of his emotions were still showing in his eyes. "I will be fine. Go ahead and finish your lunch. I'm going to clean up the mess I made." He said, turning away from her and walking over to the sink, grabbing the sponge so he could wash the skillet.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" she grabbed his wrist tightly and pulled him back to the table. She sat him down and gave him a brilliant smile. "You finish! I will clean, since you did all this for me." She pat his leg, took the sponge, and hurried towards the counter. She huffed, trying to look over the counter, cursing her small size. Suddenly sand began forming in the air and solidifying into blocks. They fell to the ground and she stepped up, starting to wash the pan. Once it was cleaned she began to dry it with the towel and then cleaned the whole counter.

He just stared at her, completely entranced with her sand. He ate the rest of his lunch absentmindedly, finishing just as she finished cleaning. He stood and took the sponge from her, giving her a smile. "I can wash my plate, you eat. It will help you get taller so that you're not so much of a squirt."

Her kind gaze turned into a threatening glare. "I'm not a squirt! I'm travel sized!" she huffed, bopping him on the head with her hand. She skipped back to the table and took her plate off, cramming the rest of her grilled cheese in her mouth, in a very un-lady like fashion. She ran back over to him and handed back the plate.

He laughed at her actions. "You know, for a squirt, you're really cute." He said, ruffling her hair. Then he walked over to the sink and began to wash her plate.

She giggled and nodded, "I know. I can't help it though." She waved her hand in the air and cased the rest of the kitchen, making sure it was all perfect.

When he finished he turned back to her. "Do you want to do something or go somewhere? I don't really have any games…" he trailed off, looking away from her. He knew kids were supposed to have games and toys, but his father didn't believe in them. He also didn't believe in fun, but that was beside the point.

"We should play hide and seek!" she exclaimed, lacing her fingers together and giving him a pleading look.

"With two people?" he asked, giving her a skeptical look.

She smirked slowly, "What…you scared that since you only have one person to find you might not be able to?" she stood straight, setting her hands on her hips, holding her head high.

"Oh please, I could find you with my eyes closed." He did so then, and smirked slightly. "One, two, three, I'm only counting to ten so you should hurry, four…"

She stepped forward and brushed her hand across his cheek. "If you find me, I'll give you a really cool present." She whispered. He felt an odd sensation, something scratchy on his skin, and then her presence was gone.

He finished counting to ten and opened his eyes. Expanding his chakra, which his father had taught him, he tried to sense where she was. Discovering that she wasn't in his home anymore, he left, doing a quick sweep of the Uchiha District. Not finding her there, he left and began to look around the village. He _would_ find her, since he wanted to know what the really cool present was. He liked presents, and figured that hers would be interesting.

* * *

Natsumi ran down some of the back streets, it was somewhat fun since she felt like she was in a maze. But where to hide? It had to be good. She stopped when she came to one of the bridges over a stream running through the village and glanced over the edge. There was a landing down below connecting to a water line. She smiled and looked around, climbing up the rail and jumping down. She landed gracefully with the help of her sand and ran into the large pipeline. When the entrance was only a small white dot she sat down and leaned against the wall.

She tapped her knees idly, wondering how long she would have to wait until she could come out. There was a small snap and her gaze shot into the dark hole. A small shiver ran up her spine, but what could possibly be down here? She sighed and tried to think of happier things, like Akito. She giggled aloud, holding her hands to her cheeks. He was the cutest boy she had ever seen and now he was her pre-fiancé. She thought about what he would look like when they were older, he was really nice too.

That was when she heard a splash and then her worry grew, she stood up, trying to let her eyes see in the dark but it was nothing but black. Until a dark form appeared before her. She screamed at the top of her lungs, turning to run out from the place but felt the man grab onto her clothing. She gave a sharp tug and heard the tear of her dress, but the quick tear made her lose balance and she fell down.

There was a sick laughter and she felt the rough hands on her once more. "Hello little girl, you like to play in the dark? Well I'll show you why you should stay in your pretty little sunshine." He picked her up despite her struggling. She was wide eyed and crying now, trying to control her emotions so she could dissolve into her sand particles. But the only thing that began to dissipate was her hands. She attempted to scream again but the man's filthy hand covered her mouth and they disappeared into the dark hole.

* * *

Akito ran down the streets, and suddenly he could sense Natsumi's chakra. He frowned, why did it feel like it was underground? Coming up to a bridge, he saw a pipeline and jumped over the railing. Landing in front of the pipe, he looked inside. Since he was unable to see in the darkness, he activated his sharingan, his kekkei genkai allowing him to see more clearly.

He cautiously entered the tube and made his way down the pipe. Her chakra signature was getting closer, but for some reason it seemed agitated. He paused when he saw something pink, and bent over to pick it up. It was a piece of the dress Natsumi had been wearing. Growing alarmed, he masked his signature and pressed against the wall of the pipe, crouching down low as he made his way farther. When Natsumi came into view his eyes widened at what he saw. Some homeless civilian had her in a chokehold pressed up against the wall.

He charged at the man, knocking him off balance. Natsumi hit the floor and began to cough, but Akito continued his assault. He lunged at the man, but was hit across the face, knocking him to the floor next to Natsumi. Akito stood somewhat shakily and crouched in front of Natsumi, intent on defending her.

"You little Uchiha brat. I'm not surprised you're turning traitor, just like your father did." He snarled.

Red eyes glared. "My father is not a traitor, he did what he had to do for family!" he yelled, charging before the man could blink. He jumped and kicked the man across the face, knocking him to the ground. Then he kicked him in the face once more, knocking the lumbering man out.

He turned back to Natsumi and grabbed her hand. "Let's go." He said, beginning to lead her out of the pipe. He didn't know how much longer the man would stay unconscious, and he didn't want to be around when he woke up.

She gripped his hand tightly, trying to stop her crying. She'd never been so scared in her life, "I'm sorry." she sobbed out, making sure she kept with his pace. When they hit the sunlight she started to hyperventilate, tears streaming down her face.

He turned and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Don't be. I promised that I would protect you, and I did." He pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her, trying to make her feel better. "Are you okay?" he asked in a whisper. He had never seen someone be so cruel, since nobody ever attacked him or Minako whenever they were around the village.

She buried her face in his shirt, her sobbing only growing louder. She gripped onto his shirt tightly and after a few minutes, her crying died down and she stayed in his embrace. "I'm ok…" she finally said, relaxing slowly in his grasp. "Thank you…for saving me…sorry I was so careless."

"I already said not to apologize. It's okay." He told her, rubbing her arms. "Let's go somewhere safe, I don't know when that man will wake up."

"Sabaku no Natsumi!" a loud yell came from above them. The two looked up and saw a very angry blonde. Temari gripped onto the railing and dropped down beside the two kids. "Do you have _any_ idea how much trouble you are in? When your father hears about this you will be grounded till God knows when!" she scolded, wagging her finger in the air. That was when she finally took in Natsumi's appearance. "Oh my gosh, Natsumi are you ok?" she asked wide eyed, kneeling before her niece and giving her a once over.

She nodded slowly, not letting go of the Uchiha who had saved her. "Akito and I were playing hide and seek. And some man grabbed me and tried to hurt me, but I'm ok because Akito saved me." She assured her aunt, looking back up into the crimson sharingan.

Temari looked at the young boy and then their embrace. "…Thank you…" she gave him a small nod and then grabbed a hold of both of them, jumping up and setting them down on the ground.

Knowing that Natsumi was safe now, Akito allowed his eyes to return to their natural green. "It was no problem." He said, unsure as to whether or not he should let go of her. How much comfort did girls need in these kinds of things anyways?

"Alright Natsumi." Temari straightened up and crossed her arms. "Let's go punk. Your mom's going to blow a gasket."

"Can we at least walk Akito home?" she released the boy and tugged on her aunt's black kimono like outfit. "Please, please, please!" she begged.

Temari sighed and gestured for them to go ahead, "Alright but no dilly dallying. You caused a big fuss little miss. Hinata is worried sick about you."

Natsumi cheered and grabbed Akito's hand, pulling him forward with renewed vigor. "Come on Akito!"

"Do you even remember how to get to my house?" he asked as he followed her, noting that she had already passed two separate ways they could have reached the Uchiha District.

She stopped and looked back at him, "Oh right…guess that might be useful." She smiled, slowing so he could lead the way, since he actually knew it. Temari sighed, shaking her head at the two. Sakura would not be happy with her daughter falling for an Uchiha.

* * *

Sakura rushed back to Naruto's house, ignoring the pathway and leaping from roof to roof. Upon receiving Hinata's message saying her youngest had disappeared, they had decided to finish their meeting the next day. So while Temari went out to scour the village for Natsumi, Sakura had decided to retrieve Satomi.

When she entered the house, she froze. There were two chakra signatures present that had no right to be. Concealing her chakra, Sakura snuck towards the kitchen, where everyone seemed to be present. As she neared, she could hear voices.

"You will not touch my friend's child." Hinata said firmly. There was dark laughter.

"You can't protect both kids and defeat us, Uzumaki Hinata. We are out of your league. It's a shame that only one of the pink brats is here though, since we were sent to kill the both of them." A man's gravelly voice said.

Another spoke up. "And by defending her, you have just made yourself a traitor to Konoha, so now we'll have to kill you too."

Entering the kitchen then, Sakura grew angry at what she saw. In a corner stood Hinata, byakugan activated and in a defensive pose, Minako and Satomi behind her. Two Anbu stood before them, one with a sword drawn. Nobody dared threaten her child and get away with it. _Nobody_.

"I guess it's no matter if I kill you two then, since I'm already a traitor." Sakura said menacingly, causing everyone's attention to shift to her.

"Mommy!" Satomi shouted, wide eyed, tears glistening her beautiful jade eyes. "They sent their two other friends to go find Natsumi!"

Sakura's emerald eyes darkened dangerously, and she glared at the men. "I'm going to enjoy killing you. No one threatens my family and lives." She said, charging at them. Hinata turned and tried to shield the girls' eyes.

"Try not to look." She told them. She knew they were at war, but children so young shouldn't have to be scarred so early. And with her byakugan still activated, Hinata would see if she needed to move them or not.

"Yes Mama." Minako said, obediently burying her face in her mother's chest. Satomi covered her eyes with her hands, already hearing the fight between her mother and the men begin. Curiosity overwhelmed her though, she had never seen her mother fight before and since she had inherited Sakura's strength, she moved her fingers a bit, peeking through the slits.

Sakura punched one of the men in the jaw, sending him flying through the kitchen wall. Then she engaged in combat with the man holding the sword. He was fast, but not fast enough to hit her, since she had trained and excelled in dodging attacks. After a particularly hard swing of his sword, she crouched and spun, sticking a leg out and knocking him off balance. While he was down she kicked away his sword and grabbed his head. With a hard twist, she broke his neck, pulling off the lifeless head in the process.

Grimacing, she tossed it away like yesterday's trash and slid into a defensive pose. The one she had sent flying came back then and he grew angry when he saw his teammate's headless corpse. He let out a yell, and the fighting resumed.

He pulled out two kunai, and the pink haired medic did the same, only drawing one since she had her strength. After a series of attacks and blocks, she was able to distract him long enough to stab her kunai through his mask and into his left eye, causing him to howl in pain and draw away from her.

She walked forward and kicked his feet out from under him, a merciless, sadistic look on her face. "You should have known from the beginning not to mess with my babies, and now, you're going to die." She commented, placing her foot on his neck. He began to beg for his life then, but she ignored his pleas and stepped down, detaching his head from his body. Blood spurted out of the corpse, and Sakura frowned at the stains she would now have on her clothes.

She walked over to Hinata, who was now standing straight and holding her own daughter. "Thank you Hinata. And tell Naruto, I'm sorry things didn't work out." She said sincerely to her friend. The ebony haired girl nodded, speechless. Then Sakura looked down at Satomi. "We're leaving. Now." She told her daughter, bending over and picking her up. The pink haired girl was stark white and wide eyed. The elder woman could feel her shaking in her arms. They had to get back to that safety of Suna as soon as possible. Sakura needed her husband's reassuring embrace and she needed it now. She carried Satomi out the door, and leapt onto the rooftops again, searching for her youngest and sister-in-law.

"Satomi, are you alright? They didn't hurt you, did they?" she asked, looking down at her daughter to inspect her as she leapt to another roof. The girl nodded slowly, trying to steel her nerves and forget the gory images she had just seen. All she could think about was how much blood there had been.

"I just want to go home…I want daddy and Toshiro…" she mumbled, forcing back her tears.

Sakura nodded. "Me too, but we have to find your sister first." She said. Soon after she sensed Temari and Natsumi, right outside the old Uchiha District. Great, trust her child to find the worst kind of trouble.

She landed on the ground in front of the two, who were heading away from the prefecture. "We're leaving." She said simply, the blonde immediately understanding what had happened based on the looks Satomi and Sakura were sporting and the splatters of blood on Sakura's clothes.

"Now? Let me go back and say bye to Akito then, I said I would before I left." She turned around only to be grabbed by her aunt. "Hey! Why can't I say bye?" she asked, looking from her mother to her aunt and then back again.

Temari sighed and looked around. "We need to leave now." She nodded. Temari situated Natsumi on her back and the two women sped towards their hotel room. They grabbed their things, which were all ready to go, and left without checking out. They ran out the gates, picking up speed in their run back to Suna.

"I don't understand!" Natsumi yelled angrily. "What's wrong?"

Sakura looked over at her daughter, a sad expression crossing her face. "Konoha sent Anbu to come and kill you and your sister. So we need to leave and get back to daddy so he can protect us."

The youngest of the Sabakus looked back to the hidden village and then focused forward, feeling her stomach drop. Had that man in the tunnel been after her? "So…Suna and Konoha aren't going to be friends…are they?"

"I'm afraid not…" Temari said sadly.

"I'm upset about it too, but this is unacceptable. I could have lost you two today, and if I hadn't been there…I don't even want to think about it. We are just going to go back to the safety of our village, and more than likely pay Konoha back for their attempt on your lives." Sakura told them.

Understanding how both of their parents were, the girls didn't argue about what had happened, although Natsumi was incredibly sad. But, she still had twelve years in which Suna and Konoha could become friends, so she would remain optimistic.

Less than two days later they made it back to Suna, having traveled as fast as possible to get home. Entering the mansion she and Gaara lived in, Sakura and Temari took the twins to their room, tucking them in to bed. Both were so tired from the journey and their separate experiences while in Leaf, that Sakura just left them in their day clothes. They could always bathe in the morning. "Are you girls going to be alright?"

They both nodded, but Natsumi seemed to perk up for a moment, as if remembering something she wanted to ask. "Mommy I thought you said the Sharingan was scary."

Sakura gave her a confused look. "It is sweetie. Especially when you have to fight against it. Why. When did you see Sharingan?" she asked, thinking that Sasuke might have done something to her daughter.

"My pre-fiancé, Akito, had red eyes just like you described, but he used it to protect me. And when he looked at me with it, it wasn't scary. He was really nice and they made me feel safe." She smiled brightly, snuggling into her silk sheets.

"Pre-fiancé?" she asked, confused.

She nodded. "Yup. He said we could get married when I turn eighteen."

"Uh huh. Well you know he'll have to ask your father for permission first. And you know how he is about Uchihas." She warned. Gaara wasn't going to like this, not at all. Especially after what had just happened.

"Don't worry Mommy, I'm just as courageous as you, so I'm not afraid of Daddy. And when I'm all grown up I'll be strong and powerful and so will Akito. I can tell, so I'm not worried. Daddy will want someone who can protect me." She explained, sitting up and looking at her mother. Satomi just stared at her and rolled her eyes.

"Don't you think it's a little early to be deciding who you're going to marry?"

"No. Why?" the younger twin said obliviously, looking back and forth between her mother and sister.

Temari sighed and crossed her arms. "He _was_ a pretty cute little Uchiha."

Sakura wagged her finger at the older woman. "That's how they all start out. They're cute, and mysterious, drawing you in with dark gazes. And once you give them your heart, they crush it." She said, smashing her hand into an open palm, a fierce look on her face. Then she noticed the odd looks she was receiving and straightened. "What?" she asked, not understanding why they were looking at her in such a way.

"Mommy Akito's eyes are a pretty green, not an icky black like his daddy's. And I met his dad and he was mean, Akito is nothing like that. He made me lunch and I helped him clean up, you'll really like him." She clapped her hands together falling back into her sheets.

Temari let out a small laugh and shook her head. "Like mother like daughter." She said walking out the door with a quick goodnight.

Sakura let out a sigh. "Just be careful with your heart baby." She advised, tucking her daughter in and kissing her on the forehead.

"Yes ma'am," she said sleepily. "Don't worry Mommy…he's like Daddy…I can tell." She yawned then and shut her eyes, tired from the journey they had made. Sakura smiled and walked over to Satomi's bed. After tucking her in, she kissed her on the forehead as well.

"Goodnight honey. I'm sorry if I scared you back in Konoha." She said softly.

She just stared up at her mother and gave her a small nod. "It's ok…I'm not afraid." She assured her and then turned on her side, trying to fall asleep.

With one final look at her daughters she left the room and closed the door quietly. Then she made her way to her son's bedroom. She needed to see him and make sure that he was all right, just because she had almost lost her girls. Opening his door, she walked in quietly, unsurprised when he sat up in bed and looked directly at her, attuned to her presence in the house.

"Mom…what's wrong? Are Satomi and Natsumi ok?" he asked, his red hair was tousled and his tired dark jade eyes focused on hers.

She walked over to him and sat on the edge of his bed. "Yes sweetie, I just put them to bed. How have you been?" she asked, smoothing his hair out.

"Fine…" he replied, looking suspicious of his mother. "Dad and I trained all day today. But I missed Tomi and Sumi a lot. And I was worried your old village would be mean to you."

The smile she gave him was a sad one, and didn't reach her eyes. "They were, but you don't need to worry about it. Mommy took care of everything." She said, kissing his forehead. "Now try and get some sleep. Tomorrow you and I are going just hang out, okay?"

"Alright…" he said softly, placing his hand over his mothers. "Goodnight." He said, watching her get up and head to the door. He lay back down and sighed, shutting his eyes.

Sakura shut his door softly and walked down the hall to her and Gaara's room. She was so happy to be home, and yet sad at the same time. She opened the door and noted that Gaara was in the shower. Deciding with a smile that it sounded like a great idea, she stripped and entered the steamy room, throwing her clothes in the hamper along the way. She stepped into the shower behind her husband and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her cold body against his warm one. "Hey." She greeted, kissing his shoulder when he turned to look at her.

He glanced back, attempting to get a good view of her. "By your overwhelming joyous demeanor, I see the treaty was denied…or something happened." He said solemnly, taking his wife's wrists and the releasing her hold so he could turn and face her. He leaned down, kissing her sweetly, "At least you're alright. What happened?"

She let out a sigh. "Things were going great in the beginning. Shishou and Naruto were all for it of course, and it appeared like the Elders were beginning to believe that Suna was sincere in its desire for peace once more. But then I got a message from Hinata saying that Natsumi had disappeared, so we decided to continue the meeting the next day." She paused, giving her husband time to process what she had said so far, feeling him stiffen when his youngest's name was mention.

"Natsumi is safe…right?" he asked, his alarm rising.

"She is fine. Temari went and found her while I went to Naruto's house to see if Satomi was okay." She stopped and then a look of pain came to her face. "But when I got there, two Anbu members were threatening Hinata, saying that if she didn't hand over Satomi for them to kill, then she would be branded a traitor and killed as well." Her gaze hardened as she looked into Gaara's shocked face. "Apparently the Elders had sent them to kill our girls, thinking that we had only had them in order for them to grow into weapons. So I killed the Anbu members and took Satomi out of there. Then we met up with Temari and Natsumi, and left Konoha without another look back." She finished.

Gaara released her, trying to remain calm now. Konoha had threatened his children and now they would pay. This was worse than when Konoha assassinated three of their council members. "I'm sorry…but this is unacceptable." He told her seriously, locking his jade with her emerald. "Konoha has sealed their fate…"

She nodded. "I know. The worst part though, was that Satomi saw me kill those men." Her eyes began to water. "I realize that eventually the kids would have to see death and stuff, but Gaara, I was brutal. I ripped their heads off, literally. And I'm afraid that I've scarred her for life." By now her tears were falling, as she thought about how horrible of a mother she was.

He cupped her face and pressed his lips against hers, letting her tears mix with the shower water. "Darling, she's _my_ child. She's already scarred and she's already overly depressed for a six year old. You couldn't prevent it. Children are curious, if she begins to show signs of psychosis, I promise I will handle it." He assured her.

"Okay." She said softly. Then she wrapped her arms around him once more and laid her head on his chest. "I missed you. Next time there's a negotiation or something you're going with me or I won't go at all. I always become afraid that I won't see you again." She admitted. Because of their capture all those years ago, any time Sakura went outside the village without Gaara, she got antsy and couldn't sleep well. It was the only thing from her capture, other than her scar, that had affected her.

"There is no longer room for negotiation. An attempt on the life of our daughters is unforgivable…peace has just been destroyed forever by Konoha." He pulled her closer and then let go once more. He turned off the water and got out, taking her hand and leading her after him. "There is no need to worry though my love, I will always be with you from this point on, I promise you." He pulled one of their towels off the rack and began to dry her. "I have a feeling though…that this war is only going to get worse."

"Me too." She agreed, raising her arms so that he could dry every inch of her. When he finished she took the towel from him and returned the favor. Once they were both dry, Sakura gave him a wry smile. "Should I even get dressed, or did you have an activity in mind that doesn't require clothes?" she asked him, hanging up the towel to dry. She didn't want to make the effort in readying for bed if Gaara was just going to undress her once more, so she wanted to be prepared. Besides, it had been a whole week since she'd seen him, and she missed his warmth, and his presence.

He traced his fingers down her arms and let a small smirk cross his face. "Only if you aren't tired from your journey my dearest blossom. Though, sleeping naked with you is a present in its own." He kissed her forehead tenderly and pulled her towards the bed.

She followed and got in on top of him, so that she was straddling his waist. "I'm never too tired to show the man I love how much I missed him." She said with a smile, beginning to trail kisses along his jaw.

He smiled up at her, placing his hands on her hips. "Alright my love, then let me show you as well, how much I missed you." He whispered, letting his sand flip off the light switch so they could commence their love making.


	9. Providence

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Nine_

-Providence-

**_Twelve Years Later…_**

Four figures dashed through the tree tops, speeding towards the boundary between Wind and River. A man dressed in simple navy blue pants and a matching long sleeved shirt, ending mid-forearm, covered by a green Jounin vest led the team. His Konoha head band covered his left eye and his silver hair spiked out in odd angles. He glanced back at the three following him. It was, as he liked to call it, Team Kakashi: Version Two. "Are you all ready for this?" he asked from beneath his mask. The three nodded. Like the typical team, theirs was made up of two boys and a girl. The woman with them had long black hair with light cerulean eyes took the rear, looking around warily. She was dressed in a tight purple shirt, its sleeves stopping just before her elbows, with tight black leggings stopping at her knees, and regular ninja shoes. She had a green Jounin vest on as well, that she wore open, along with the other two men on her team.

"Sensei!" a dark haired man with a chili-bowl haircut saluted energetically. "We are always ready!"

The two rolled their eyes, focusing on their teacher's back. The last member of the elite team had dark black hair and deep forest green eyes that suddenly twisted into a crimson red when the trees began to thin and a vast gold desert could be seen through the breaks in the forest. They all halted then, dropping to the ground. Kakashi crossed his arms as they gathered around him, alert, and waiting for instructions. "Now…you all need to be aware of how serious and important this mission is. Our team was specifically chosen for this. I know none of you have ever fought on the front line before but our ninja forces have been trying to batter away at Suna for a week now…but…"

"But Suna has, according to rumor," the dark haired Uchiha began, interrupting his sensei. "The most _elite_ team ever formed in the ninja world."

"Correct Akito, good job. No one has ever beaten them and they are the reason Suna is untouchable right now. The village hasn't been infiltrated in over twenty years. You three were chosen specifically because you are, to say, the best." The silver haired copycat ninja said, tugging up his gloves. "The three most feared shinobi in Suna, aside from the Kazekage himself, are his three children."

"Ah! The youth of Suna!" Ken shouted, pumping a fist in the air.

Akito rose his palm up, ceasing all the talking. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. You're telling me that one of the most deadly ninjas in the world…is that bubblegum princess?" he grimaced, it was unlikely to think that the innocent girl he had met nearly nine years ago could be a skilled assassin.

Kakashi cleared his throat and gave the younger man a look. "Yes. Now the _only_ thing we know about these three is that the boy is the oldest. He has both my old student's inhuman strength and the Kazekage's sand ability. The twins only have one or the other, but there is one of them that is _not_ to be underestimated. Suna shinobi are brought up ruthless and they do not hold back for anyone. When we arrive at the battle you will await my orders and follow what I say. You three are the only ones who might stand a chance against them. Do you understand?" he asked very seriously.

"Yes Sensei." They all agreed in unison.

"Alright then. Let's go, we're about to cross into their territory." He told them, taking off into a run once more as the three followed wordlessly. They had already been traveling for two and a half days. It wouldn't be long until they reached the battle field. Once they hit the sand they could feel the instant heat of the sun beating down on their heads.

"Well! This desert is a lot hotter than I thought it would be!" Ken told the others, laughing loudly.

Kakashi sighed, "Ken…please. I know you think everything is youthful and there is so much energy everywhere, but this is very serious. We might not make it out of this or not. I would like you to stay on task."

After they had run along the golden sand for a few hours, they could see dark figures in the distance and it was soon followed by the sounds of war. It was like nothing they had ever heard before. "Hopefully they will take our bait and the three gate keepers will come to the four chakra signatures we are giving off, so do not mask it. They need to see that we are a threat for the siblings to even give us the light of day." Kakashi explained, as they got closer the enormous walls of Suna began to peek over the horizon.

They could see the bloodshed from the war, their comrades falling, but they only had one task and if, and only if, it was completed they could help their fellow ninja. Suna was approaching quickly but the group halted when Kakashi stopped and held his hand out, signaling for them to follow suit. The sand ahead of them began to swirl in a small whirlwind and then condensed. When the grains fell back to its brethren three figures stood side by side.

"Sorry but this is as far as you're going to go." The male in the middle said darkly, his face was downcast, as if this was simply inconvenient for him, or it brought him great displeasure. He had blood red hair, his bangs falling into his shadowed eyes, which were a dark jade. His outfit was black and mimicked the Kazekage's. It had no sleeves and he wore dark gloves over his hands. Kakashi grimaced. He knew first hand that his old student had taught this boy and he could tell just by looking at him that he was very experienced. The two girls on either side of him could be mirror images if they had kept their features the same. One had long pink hair, braided back and held tightly, keeping it from her bored face. She held the same expression as her father, emotionless. Her pale jade eyes kept on the group from Konoha. She wore black capris' and a blood red shirt looking similar to that of her mother's. She too had on black gloves and Kakashi assumed that she was the one with the strength until he noticed the other twin had them as well.

That was when he fully took in the appearance of the last girl. She had short pink hair, cut shorter than he remembered Sakura's being. Her expression was the only different of the three, she had a beautifully evil smile plastered on her façade. She had a short sleeved, black cross over shirt, trimmed in red and black shorts that only came down a bit past her behind. There was an obi style belt around her stomach, being dark red and then tied in place with a thick black ribbon. Her ninja shoes looked like boots, going all the way up to just below her knees. "Well hello there Konoha shinobi. I hope you're not lost. The battle is that way." She pointed off towards the mass of black figures in the distance.

She eyed the group, studying each one carefully until her eyes fell on Akito. The Uchiha caught her slight reaction as her eyes widened a fraction before returning to normal. Kakashi took a step forward, setting his hands on his hips. "So you are the Sand siblings. Toshiro, Satomi, and Natsumi."

"Correct, Hatake Kakashi." Natsumi smirked, mimicking his actions. "Hatake Kakashi, Jounin level but used to be in the Anbu. You favor the chidori, right?" she arched a brow, only growing cockier when she saw the slight shock on his face. She turned her pale jade gaze to the odd ball of the group. "Rock Ken. Taijutsu expert, son of Rock Lee and prefers hand to hand combat above all else." She focused on the woman then and felt a prick of memory. "Ah, Uzumaki Minako, Byakugan and the Rasengan. Quite a combination, though, you aren't that much of a fighter. I can tell by your stance that killing makes you uneasy." She taunted and then finally locked gazes with Akito once more. "And Uchiha Akito. The heir to the Uchiha line gained a high level of Sharingan at an uncannily young age. I heard you like lightning."

Kakashi grabbed onto his headband and pulled it up, revealing his own sharingan. "Very impressive I must admit, though I would expect nothing less from the child of my dear Sakura." He smiled beneath his mask and then looked back to his team. "Minako." He lowered his voice then, as to not be overheard. "I need you to take on the son. He's got sand and power, but he's not the psychotic one, his aura is not menacing. But he does have the most chakra, unless the other two are masking theirs. The Sharingan cannot foresee the sand so you must use the Byakugan to your advantage. Do _not_ get hit or it's all over." He told her and then returned his gaze to the twins. "Now…we just need to find out which twin is the sand user."

"The squirt with the short hair is the sand user. Trust me." Akito said loud enough for the sand siblings to hear, eyeing her up and down. She had gotten really attractive over the years it seemed, and he was glad that she had remembered him, if only slightly.

Fire flashed in Natsumi's eyes as she stepped forward shaking her fit in the air. "I am _not_ a squirt Uchiha Akito! I totally grew and you know it!" she pointed at him accusingly, getting questioning looks from both her elder siblings. She was red in the face now, angry he was teasing her in such a manner. Unfortunately for her, the fact that his sharingan was activated allowed him the ability to see her eyes giving him a once over and obviously admiring his form.

Kakashi scratched his head and looked between his student and the girl. "Am I missing something here?"

He gave Natsumi a bored stare. "You're still short, and therefore, a squirt." He said, and then looked over at his team leader. "I wouldn't worry about it." He informed him.

The silver haired man sighed and returned his gaze to the two girls. "Ken, I want you to stay with me and fight this much louder twin. Something is off about her. She's too animated and bubbly for a battle field…that's never a good sign. Which means, that Akito, I want you to handle the other twin. Just avoid getting hit, since you are the fastest on the team that shouldn't be a problem should it?"

He pulled his fingerless gloves on tighter and looked at Kakashi. "Why do I have to fight the ugly one?" he complained.

Minako gave him an odd look. "Ugly? But Akito-kun, they look the same."

"Ch. Minako come on, use your eyes. Clearly, Natsumi is the pretty one. I mean, just look at those curves…perfect proportions. And her face isn't all jacked up." He said, gesturing to the twins.

"Perfect proportions? Are you saying that I don't have them?" she asked, becoming annoyed and crossing her arms.

He shrugged, still looking bored. "The only things about you that I find attractive are your large breasts." This caused the ebony haired girl's mouth to drop open in shock. She was utterly speechless.

"What are they talking about?" Satomi asked, growing a bit irritated.

Toshiro scratched his head, trying to get a better hear. "Something about you being ugly…Natsumi having perfect proportions…and large breasts." He told them, making them both go wide eyed.

"I am most certainly not ugly! Natsumi and I look the same!" Satomi shrieked, glaring the Uchiha down.

"Big breasts." Natsumi touched her own and then looked over to Minako. "Whatever! I do have a perfect proportion, who wants huge breasts anyways. They slow you down." She huffed, throwing her hands in the air.

Toshiro felt himself staring at the Konoha girl's chest, a small smirk forming on his face. "I think they look nice."

Both girls stopped and stared at their brother. "Gross." They said in unison.

They all faced forward then, Satomi locked eyes with the Uchiha, vowing to take him down. Natsumi sighed as the odd looking freak and the older ninja faced her off. "I guess they picked who they wanted to fight." Toshiro just sighed, he didn't really enjoy killing and the fact that he didn't like hurting girls only made his match up more difficult.

"Hey Satomi," Natsumi called over her shoulder to her sister. "Try not to kill him, he's really cute and I kinda want to play with him later." She snickered, looking back at Akito and blowing him a kiss. She leaned forward and disappeared then, making all four go wide eyed with disbelief. Kakashi barely managed to block the kick aimed for his face. She ducked down when Ken tried to attack her from behind, but successfully swung her leg under his, knocking him off balance. The two moved around swiftly, slamming arm to arm, but it was clear who was better. Kakashi was helping Ken instantly, amazed that such a small girl could take on them both at the same time. He grimaced, trying to follow her moves with his sharingan, but this girl was even faster than Akito…and that was extremely alarming.

Seeing everything almost clearly, Akito allowed a smirk to cross his features. So she had gotten strong, just as she promised. That was good, since he liked a challenge. He turned to the other twin and sighed. "I hope you're at least half as good as your sister, or this is going to be really easy." He said, cracking his neck.

"My sister is a psychopath. She's the one the rumors are about, if you need to know." Satomi informed him, cracking her knuckles and approaching him slowly. "She's going to murder your friends…I hope you're ready for that." She gave him a bored look and lowered down into a threatening stance.

"That bushy eyed menace is no friend of mine." He said. Ever the gentleman, he decided to wait for her to make the first move. He had heard about her fighting style and that it consisted mostly of taijutsu, which he excelled at, but he wanted to be sure first, better safe than sorry anyways.

Satomi, seeing he would not move till she did, ran at him, not having the speed everyone had just witnessed from Natsumi but she was nowhere near slow. She formed a fist and aimed right for his face beginning their battle.

Minako just stared at the redhead before her. It was a pity she had to fight him, he was really cute. I mean, Akito was cute don't get her wrong, but she didn't think of him in a romantic manner, despite the Elders arranging a marriage between them. It was only to combine their bloodlines anyways. She got in the defensive stance her uncle Neji took before fighting and observed him. She never was one to make the first move anyways, since she despised fighting.

Toshiro frowned, his arms crossed over his chest. "I'm sorry for this…I don't enjoy killing like my sisters do." He said, actually seeming sincere, but the sand around them began to pick up and swirl around them in an agitated manner. The red head himself didn't move but the sand flew at her, whipping around and trying to get her in its grainy hold.

She dodged expertly, and in a flash of purple was before the redhead. "I understand, I feel the same." She said before disappearing again, only to reappear a little ways off. If she could get him to use taijutsu instead of his sand it would be easier to fight him, since she knew it would protect him from being hit with her gentle fist or rasengan.

He sighed and lifted his hand, the sand around her bursting and creating a storm so that she was unable to see clearly. Natsumi flipped back, sliding on the sand and looking back at her two opponents. She was disappointed that she wasn't even breaking a sweat. She made a few hand signs and the sand around them began to swirl, forming a type of whirl pool and sucking them towards the center and then lower into the deep desert. Kakashi made an attempt to get out, but the sand solidified around his legs. He growled out and focused on the young girl, feeling his eye strain. It was the only way he could think of getting her to break her concentration. She felt an odd sensation in the air and then saw Kakashi. She gasped and burst into sand, disappearing from their view. The sand stopped its pull and Ken and Kakashi pulled themselves from the golden dust. They looked around, noticing that the entire area around them was beginning to turn into a sand storm.

"Watch out Ken." The silver haired ninja warned, looking around and trying to remain alert. Natsumi appeared in the air and slammed her foot down on Ken's head, making him stumble back as she followed up her volley of hits with another powerful kick to the side of his head.

"I can't see anything Kakashi-sensei because of this sand!" he yelled out in pain. Natsumi gripped onto his shoulder and flipped over the Lee lookalike and touched his back gently. She ran at Kakashi and metal clashed with metal as they battled with kunai. The older man looked over her shoulder for a second and went wide eyed. "Ken!" he shouted, trying to warn the boy of the explosive tag now on his back, but the paper lit on fire and suddenly there was a loud boom. The sand was blown from the area for a moment, due to the impact, and it got everyone's attention.

"Damn idiot." Akito muttered, resuming his fight with the medical ninja.

Minako was wide eyed, but she could see with her byakugan that he wasn't fatally injured. Still worried, she focused on her own fight. It was getting tiresome having to avoid the tendrils of sand all the time, and if it kept up it wouldn't be long before she grew sluggish. Using a few hand signs, she created four shadow clones. They all rushed forward at the same time, each trying to hit the redhead with their gentle fist.

As to its nature the sand rose to block every attack aimed for its master. He watched Minako's movements carefully, predicting where she would be next. He was suddenly glad for his sister's annoying speed. It was easy to keep track of the girl before him. He just needed to time it perfectly and end this quickly. He could already sense his sister's control over her psychotic needs slipping. She loved fighting and those two apparently weren't enough right now. He moved forward, holding his hand out causing the sand in front of him to form into a giant Shukaku look alike.

The giant raccoon lifted its large hand and slammed down on the spot Minako was and anticipating her movements, Toshiro moved the other and successfully slammed the hard sand over her head, nailing her into the ground. He slowly lifted his hand, detaching the sand, now constricting her, from the sand animal. He tightened his grip and she began to feel like the life was being squeezed from her. It was foolish of these ninja to come and expect to win while fighting in the desert

Akito on the other hand was doing better than his other teammates. He had dodged all of the strength user's attacks, and had even cut her a few times, although she healed them. But at the moment, he was just trying to get her to lower her stamina and chakra reserves. He knew it took a lot of effort to direct chakra outside the body, and that was what her attacks consisted of, no matter how much chakra control you had. But he was beginning to grow bored with her, and out of his peripheral vision he could see that Minako needed assistance, as well as Kakashi and Ken. Did he have to do everything for this team? "Can you at least _try_ and put some effort into this fight? Otherwise I'll ditch you for your brother. Or maybe your sister. Either one seems more stimulating anyways." He said with a bored tone.

"You got the wrong person if you want effort." She sighed, mimicking his expression. "Besides, the kind of excitement you're looking for would be found fighting my sister. Not to mention you can't stop looking over at her." She glared, starting to run at him once more. She was getting bored of this, she had used up quite a bit of chakra and he was much better than she had anticipated. She formed another fist but this time she slammed her hand into the ground and the impact shock tossed some huge chunks of earth into the air. She turned around, sending powerful kicks at the large boulders and sending them sailing at the Uchiha. "You're that boy she wanted to marry, aren't you?" she asked almost to herself, but she was a bit curious.

"I suppose, unless like most women she can't make up her mind and has decided on someone else." He said, dodging each of the boulders and landing behind her. Before she could react he spun and kicked her harshly in the stomach, sending her flying. She hit the ground and bounced once, landing in a sand pile. She groaned and sat up, giving the Uchiha an irritated look.

"She's been fixated on you ever since you told her you were her pre-fiancé. It's been kinda annoying actually." she stood slowly, dusting the sand from her clothes and running her glowing hands over her ribs to heal them.

"Akito!" Kakashi shouted, getting the man's attention. Both Satomi and Akito looked over to the other fight, seeing Kakashi narrowly avoiding all of Natsumi's jabs. Until the sand below him rose and shoved him over like a wave. She charged at him one of her hands glowing a bright green. She slid beneath him and touched her hand to his leg making him collapse to the ground. She flipped up behind him then and kicked him into the sand, grabbing his arms and placing her foot in the middle of his back. She gave a sharp tug and they heard sickening snaps from both shoulders. Kakashi growled out in pain, glaring back at the girl and then Akito. "Ken! You deal with the strength. Akito, _kill_ her. She's the one out of the three that needs to be eliminated!"

Akito was over there before anyone could blink, aiming a kick at Natsumi in order to get her off his teacher, to which she successfully avoided, appearing a few feet away. "Ken, take ugly while I fight the Princess." Akito said with a smirk, happy to finally fight someone worth his time.

A brilliant, yet sadistic smile formed on Natsumi's face as she lowered her stance. "So you remember." She said simply, finally letting herself release all her chakra. Her brother had told her to mask as much as she could since they had enormous levels thanks to their father, and she was _just _getting started. Kakashi went wide eyed from his spot on the desert floor.

"That's not possible."

"Sure, it is." She told him, giving him a quick glance before looking directly into Akito's sharingan. "Very impressive, it's even more intricate than before. I missed you, my Prince." She teased. "Have you forgotten our arrangement?"

"I never forget things, but why don't you elaborate, just in case." He said, lowering into his own stance. "And of course it's possible Sensei, I do it all the time." He said, releasing all of his chakra. It wasn't anywhere near as much as Natsumi's, but by their standards, it was still a great amount. He had had to train for months in order to build it up, since some of his greatest techniques required a lot of chakra.

She giggled excitedly, her hands shaking with eagerness. She wanted to fight him so bad it was actually hurting to hold back right now. He was just as powerful as she imagined he would be and she hadn't even fought him yet. She ran forward and disappeared in the blink of an eye and when she appeared in front of him and aimed a kick at his side he caught it and attempted to throw her over his shoulder and to the ground. She moved around in his grasp, successfully breaking his hold and swept her foot under his legs. He jumped back giving her a playful smirk. "You know…" she began, charging at him once more and engaging his taijutsu with her own, having too much fun in their narrow hits and misses. "You promised to marry me when I turned eighteen…" she paused and ducked under one of his kicks, moving against him and purposely pressing her body into his, effectively feeling his hard muscles and pushing him back. "I've been eighteen for nine months now, and all I'm waiting for is for you to propose."

"Yes well, how was I to know when your birthday was? You said you would visit when you turned eighteen, and you never did." He said, aiming a punch for her, which she caught. Then she brought up a leg to kick him in the head, but he caught it with his free hand. Standing there, he smirked. "I can't be married to someone who doesn't follow through. So I'll propose to you when and if I choose. You'll just have to persuade me." He said, pulling her lower half forward so that it pressed into his. Then he leaned forward. "Do you think you're up to the task? I'm a difficult man to please." He whispered in her ear.

She smiled, oddly enough enjoying the touch. Which was probably wrong, but what the heck? "Oh I'm up for it." She told him confidently. She allowed herself to press further into him, her smile turning into a devious smirk. "And I think I'll please you just fine…seeing as how turned on you are from my body against yours and probably from the fact that I'm actually a challenge on the battle field." She brought her hand down and stroked his cheek tenderly.

"I will admit your prowess excites me. Your sister was just so boring to fight, all her movements are predictable." He complained, his brow furrowing slightly. He knew it was wrong what he was doing, since he was supposed to kill her, but he didn't want to. If he kept her alive, then each time he had to fight Suna shinobi he could fight her, and actually have a challenge. She would push him to his limits, he could tell, and at the same time, he had fun when fighting her. Then the real Akito came up and pressed into her from behind, placing his hands on her hips and sandwiching her between himself and his clone. "Although," the real one said in the opposite ear, smirking. "You should try and please the real me, not the shell."

Her gaze shot back, trying to get a look at him with her peripherals. She was actually surprised and realized that she had let her guard down. It not only irritated her, but surprised her. She focused back on the clone, which had his own smirk plastered on his face. "Well," she sighed as a kunai was placed to his throat and he felt a small frame press against his own back. "Then you should do the same." she whispered, wrapping her free hand around his waist and pressing her palm on his flat abs. She felt her stomach flip by the feel. Why was he so damn attractive? "Though…girls do like to play with dolls." She informed him, looking over his shoulder at her sand clone that was being more than a little friendly to the Leaf Jounin's clone.

He looked down at her from over his shoulder and smirked, pleased with her quick reaction. Removing his hands from the clone, he reached behind himself and gripped her rear, pressing her into him from behind. "Then tell me Natsumi…what's your pleasure?" he asked, ignoring the fact that she had a kunai pressed to his throat.

She felt her face grow hotter, and it wasn't from the sun. She knew she was blushing, a dark red one, and it only made her blush further. "I've yet to have it done…but the thought of someone actually being able to dominate me, in more than just battle." She admitted, her grip on her weapon loosening as she almost dropped it from his action. "I'm undefeated though, sad to say, but true." She kept her voice steady, choosing to ignore the shocked stares of her siblings.

Minako stared at Akito, completely dumbfounded. "What is Akito-kun doing? Usually he's killed his opponent by now." She said, more to herself than the redhead standing a few feet away from her.

The scene was so alarming that Toshiro had actually ceased in his attempt to kill the woman in his grasp. "What the hell is he doing to my sister? He is touching her inappropriately and holding her behind!"

"Akito-kun has never shown an interest in a woman before. And why is she letting him do that to her?" she continued. Then she enhanced the clarity on her byakugan and gasped. "Now he's rubbing it! What has the world come to?"

By now his sand had lowered her and slid off from lack of concentration. "We should stop this." He told her, looking down at her and fully realizing he had released her.

"I agree. This is not proper battle protocol. I mean, I may not have wanted to fight you, but at least I did." She said, crossing her arms.

He nodded, crossing his arms as well. "I do not like this at all, we may have to intervene."

Natsumi leaned up on her tip toes and pressed her lips against his neck. "I think on three…I'm going to try and kill you. Because things are starting to look suspicious and as much as I love you touching my body, I'd like to see yours in action." She nuzzled him affectionately and smoothed her hands lower, towards his waist. "One…"

"Two…" he said, giving her rear one last squeeze before lowering his hands.

She didn't stop her advance on his lower region and as she pulled them back, her hand brushed over his pride and joy. She smiled deviously, "Three." She said quickly, aiming a round house kick at his head. He ducked quickly and latched onto her leg, gripping it tightly and lifting her off the ground. The sand clone immediately broke from her 'partners' tight embrace and surged forward to attack Akito. She burst into sand and swarmed around the Uchiha, forcing him to release its mistress. Natsumi landed, cat like, on the ground and swept a kick beneath Akito, knocking him off balance. She rose and followed his fall, her hand glowing a dangerous green.

The clone Akito had made dove for Natsumi, knocking her out of the way from hitting his master. Akito landed on his hands and flipped over, landing on his feet and immediately moving into a defensive crouch, dismissing his clone.

Natsumi squealed, clapping her hands together, still seeming head over heels for the man. "Akito you are simply everything I hoped you would be and more. I'm so glad you did not disappoint me." She stretched her hands out and the playful look on her face vanished, replaced with a hard smirk. She dissolved into her sand and suddenly the rest of the sand in the area picked up and swirled dangerously around like a violent sandstorm, blinding everyone but the sand siblings who knew how to see through it. Akito could hear laughter, changing from place to place. He grimaced, understanding that in the situation Natsumi could appear just about anywhere she wanted. He looked around with his sharingan, attempting to pinpoint her location. But every time he figured out where she was she vanished into the grains, only to reappear somewhere else.

She appeared off to the side, masked by the sand storm, aiming another glowing green hand at his back. She _would_ get him. She was better, she was the best. There was no way she could lose, not even to him. He disappeared, having sensed her coming up behind him. He reappeared behind her, and aimed a kick for her head. He wasn't sure what her green-glowing hand meant, but it wasn't the same shade of green used for healing. So he assumed that it was imperative that he avoid getting hit with that technique at all costs.

Before his kick could connect she burst into a dense fog of sand and when his leg went through where her body had been she formed once more and shot her hand through the air, almost slamming her green hand into his back. Akito went wide eyed when he felt the effects even from being this close. He could feel his skin beginning to deteriorate. With an intense speed he moved from her reach and turned around, holding his hands up in defense, sliding to a stop in the sand.

"What, exactly, is that type of medical jutsu? I have never seen of it before." He asked, slightly curious. Had she developed it on her own?

She slid to stop as well and looked at him through the raging sand. "You've never seen it before because I developed it myself. My mother is the student of your Hokage and has surpassed her. Both her and my sister charge their fists with power and it appears blue. Healing is a light green…but mine…" she smirked, moving her fingers a bit as they began to glow a deep green once more. "If this even brushes against your skin, it will start to erode, and it spreads at a rapid rate. There's no way to stop it unless I heal it myself." She told him, enough so he would fear it, but not anywhere near enough to be able to figure it out. "And I've already hit your sensei with it…so you better step up your game and get him to a medic or he'll die."

Akito's gaze darkened slightly in anger. He refused to let his teacher die, especially since Kakashi was more of a father to him than his own. But at the same time, he felt his respect as a fighter for her grow. It took a lot of time, patience, and skill to develop your own technique, he knew that for a fact. She just continued to impress him. Deciding that he needed to finish this quickly, he gathered his chakra and extended his right arm. An electric blue light began to form in his palm, and the chirping of birds could be heard. The light burst into a ball of lightning, and Akito took a deep breath in preparations for his attack. Unlike his father and sensei, he didn't need to hold his chidori arm in order to steady it. The smirk fell from her face as her gaze lowered to his arm. She had heard about this move from her mother and father, her father having dealt with it first-hand. She also knew how to counter it…well in theory. She lowered down as well, looking like she was going to rely on her speed for this. She outstretched her right hand and her sand swarmed around her arm, forming something similar to the arm of the demon raccoon, only more feminine looking. The claws on the arm outstretched, already looking ferocious if they happened to get a piece of him.

In a burst of speed he ran at her, raising his arm to hit her once he was close enough. Every time he used this move it connected with his opponent, and he had heard from his father that it would be able to break through the sand, as Sasuke's had to Gaara's all those years ago. He trusted his father's words, and so it never occurred to him in that moment that she also knew of the encounter and was prepared to stop it.

Victory washed over her face as she took off, solidifying the sand beneath her own feet so she could run even faster without being inhibited by its deep step. She pulled her arm back, already ready for her win. She could taste it and he had done exactly what she thought he would. But then again, pride always came before the fall. The claws formed together into something that looked more like a lance. When they were almost within reach of each other they thrust their hands toward the other, but the sand surged forward, growing in length, and pierced Akito clean through the shoulder. Effectively dismissing the chidori, but not before it slammed against her sand shield and causing an explosion of glass, which neither was prepared for. Sharingan eyes widened slightly in surprise and pain. He had never been hit before in his life. Not even as a Genin. He grew angry with himself for assuming that he would win, but was happy that she had hit him. She had now proven herself to be his equal, something he had never encountered before. Suddenly he could feel the damaging chakra of her medical jutsu through the sand, and realized that she had hidden the deadly technique beneath the grains. If he got hit with that then it would all be over, because there was no way they would make it out alive. He was the only one who could save the team now, so he could not afford to be injured in a substantial way. He reached over with his right hand and ripped the sand spear from his shoulder, backing away from her as he did so. His left arm was practically useless now, since his shoulder was bleeding profusely, and the wound would only hinder his movements. She disappeared, the sand around them growing wilder with her excitement. When she formed in front of him she took him down to the desert floor, pinning his arms with her legs and latching her left hand around his throat to keep him in one place.

"I've won Uchiha Akito!" she laughed insanely, all playfulness gone from her features. "I am the ultimate weapon!" she started to cackle, letting her free hand begin to glow a dangerous green. "I have beaten an Uchiha…though," she paused in her actions and stared down at him. "You were the most formidable foe I have ever faced and for that I commend you. Too bad our marriage will not be in our future, but know my heart goes with you. You are the only man exciting enough to grab my attention." She promised, pulling her hand back. Just as she was going to deliver the final blow the sound of chirping birds could be heard once more. Blood splattered onto Akito's face as Kakashi ran his chidori right through Natsumi from behind. She fell forward, limply, but a sinister smile crossed her face. "Nice try." She mumbled before the clone dissolved into sand. Natsumi formed beside her brother and sister now, who had effectively taken care of their opponents. Ken ran over to his teacher and his team mate, both hands broken due to the force of Satomi's fists. Minako was gripping her right arm which was completely useless now and had blood seeping down her skin and staining the sandy floor. "I admit, that was fun. Uchiha Akito, if you survive me throughout this war…I will accept your marriage proposal when the time comes that you and I are ready to become traitors. Unfortunately, now is not that time so…you all will die!" she laughed, holding her hand up, palm towards them as the sand swirling around the area flew back to its mistress. Toshiro did the same, saying nothing since he wasn't comfortable with death at anytime. All the sand became denser and formed into millions of senbon, aimed straight for the Konoha group. "Now die!" she yelled, and all the senbon flew forward.

Akito got off the ground and quickly formed a series of hand signs. Suddenly a large dragon made of fire flew from his mouth, going straight for the senbons made of sand and the siblings. When it hit, the senbon turned to glass and shattered from the heat of the flame. The dragon roared, and continued its path towards the enemy. It circled them, hindering their vision. Then it died down, and when the smoke cleared, the group of Konoha nin were gone, having teleported to an unknown part of the forest so that they could head back to their village in order to heal.

Natsumi looked around and grew angry. "What? Where did they go!" she screamed, running forward and searching for where they had been. "AGH!" she yelled, they sand around her, exploding with her agitation. She began to laugh then, holding her hands together. "Looks like Akito really wants to marry me, since he was so desperate to stay alive."

Toshiro and Satomi sighed. They simply did not understand their sister sometimes. "Come on Natsumi. We need to report to father. It looks like most of the Leaf ninja are retreating anyway. For now, Suna is safe."

She turned back to her brother and huffed, "I don't care! I wanted blood, to kill an Uchiha would have been monumental!"

"I thought you liked him…or something…" Satomi said with a bored expression.

"I do." Natsumi snapped, setting her hands on her hips. "The fact that he could escape only makes him that much more attractive." She laughed and went back over to her siblings.

Toshiro just shook his head and let his sand take them away, back to their home inside of Suna.

* * *

The group, led by Akito, ran as fast as they could back to Konoha, the wounds Kakashi's had received from Natsumi were getting worse as they slowly ate at his tissue. Ken was carrying their teacher on his back, and Minako took the rear, using her byakugan to make sure they weren't being followed.

When they had appeared in the forest Minako had treated their immediate wounds with the specialty cream that the Hyuuga Clan made, making it easier for them to travel. After two days of intense travel, they finally made it home. Minako went to get Tsunade, while Akito and Ken took Kakashi to the hospital.

Tsunade entered the hospital room not five minutes later, Minako right behind her. "What's his injury?" she asked, looking at the two boys.

"He was hit with a special type of medical chakra that damages the tissues of the body and slowly spreads over time. It was developed by Sabaku no Natsumi, and glows a dark green." Akito recited, informing the Hokage about the move so that the rest of the Konoha shinobi could be warned of the technique.

The blonde nodded. "I see. Everyone leave the room and go get treated, Shizune is waiting for you. I will see what I can do for Kakashi."

They did as they were told, and each went to their assigned hospital rooms. As Akito's shoulder was being healed he reviewed his fight in his mind, coming up with ways that he could do better the next time he fought Natsumi. Because they would fight again, he would be sure of it. Sometime when he didn't have to worry about the rest of his team.

Once they were told that Kakashi was stable, but would have to stay for further watch, Akito left to go home. As he entered the Uchiha district he grimaced. His father was going to give him hell for getting hit and having to retreat. It wouldn't even matter that he had had to protect and save his team and was the only reason they were alive. Nothing would be good enough for the elder Uchiha. Such was the life of Uchiha Akito.

* * *

"Daddy!" Natsumi cried excitedly as they entered the Kazekage's office. She jumped forward and wrapped her arms tightly around her father's neck. "Dad you'll never guess who I just fought and defeated! An Uchiha. The chidori was just as amazing as you said it would be but I beat it!"

Toshiro and Satomi once again sighed in unison, they looked over at their mother who was in the room with their father, already planning new defense strategies. She looked up at her children and smiled. Halting in what she had been doing, she walked over to the two oldest, giving them a once over to make sure they were unharmed. "And how did you two do?" she asked, knowing that they had won.

"Fine." They said together. They allowed their mother to examine them, knowing her habit. "We fared well. I fought a Hyuuga, she was fairly easy to handle. Her Byakugan made it somewhat hard to grab her with my sand but in the end she succumbed to her injuries and retreated with her team."

"Retreated?" Gaara asked, looking down at his youngest, patting her head. "They escaped."

"Yes." Satomi said quickly. "Natsumi here was too busy playing with the Uchiha to actually take him out and he was the one that created their escape."

Memory pricked in the back of Sakura's head as she heard this. "Not…Uchiha Akito…" she trailed off, knowing the answer to that as well. In no universe would any of her children allow for Sasuke to make it out alive. They would have been much more upset with the retreat had that happened. It would also explain why her youngest was happy about her fight, having not seen the boy since they had been to Konoha all those years ago.

Natsumi nodded happily, even the thoughts of her beloved made her giggle. "He was so happy to see me too, he even escaped to prove that he wanted to marry me." She explained.

"Whoa, what?" Gaara blinked, completely confused at what was going on. "Marry you? How do you even know someone from Konoha?"

"Because Dad," she rolled her eyes, releasing her hold on her father and sitting down on his desk. "He's my pre-fiancé. I met him in Konoha when Mom went to make the alliance that failed. And he told me that he would marry me when we were old enough."

"They got more than friendly with one another." Toshiro spoke up then, looking at both his parents. "Their hands were all over each other and that pervert touched her inappropriately on the behind."

Satomi nodded, "And you don't even want to know what their clones were doing."

Sakura's eyes widened. "What? Sabaku no Natsumi, you know better than to behave in such a way, especially while fighting. Did you not listen to anything I told you about Uchihas? They are bad news, and no way in hell am I going to allow you to marry him." She said, crossing her arms angrily.

"Excuse me?" Natsumi hopped up from the desk and walked around, facing her mother off with her hands on her hips. "I can do whatever the hell I want Mom." She snapped.

Gaara just stared in horror at the fact his little girl was even talking about marriage and was doing things with a boy she pretty much just met. This was intolerable and inexcusable. He was an _Uchiha,_ and he hated Uchihas.

"Not while you live under _my_ roof, and are _my_ daughter. I see no reason why you can't just find a local boy. _That,_ I would approve of. Besides, he is an enemy, and I know for a fact he won't turn traitor on his village for anyone. Uchihas think of only themselves and what they can gain by using the people around them." The elder medic said, her gaze hardening.

"Don't give me your sob story Mom. I didn't say I or he was turning traitor. Now back off because first of all let's count off the differences of our scenarios. One he is _not_ Sasuke, two Akito is smoking hot and I can tell he's a lot more attractive than Sasuke was, three I'm the _most_ beautiful person in the world and unlike you I _can_ kick ass. I'm not saying you're not good Mom, but I'm the one fighting on the front line keeping our village safe. I may be like you mom, but I am _not_ you and you're not me! I'm not going to find some amazing guy from sand because they all suck. You were lucky, and you know what I think about this." She stepped up and poked her mother in the shoulder. "You found your perfect match from a village you were at war with, I'm so much like you right? Why wouldn't it be the same for me." She seethed, doing an about face and walking out of the room, leaving four very shocked Sabakus.

"I don't understand what's happening." Gaara said, sitting back down in his chair and pinching the bridge of his nose. "I need some Midol."

Sakura just glared at him. "Well while you take your Midol, try looking for your tongue. You could have said _something_ Gaara, you know she listens to you more than me. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to go demolish something." She said angrily, storming out of the room and slamming the door, causing a huge crack to come up the wall.

He just looked after his wife and rolled his eyes, "Yeah like I want to deal with that twice in one day."

Satomi sighed and left after her mother, intent on making sure the woman didn't destroy the village. She knew how much her sister rubbed Sakura the wrong way.

Toshiro just watched his father attempt to rub the headache away. "I wouldn't worry Father. I was watching the fight and as it progressed Natsumi started getting psychotic. I'm sure if she fights the Uchiha again she will kill him, even if it is unintentional. You know how she gets carried away."

"I know…you're right. Just go make sure your Mother is fine. I'll deal with Natsumi later." He gestured for his son to leave and he did so silently, focusing on his mother's chakra to seek her out. When he arrived at one of the training grounds in Suna he was not surprised to see it already demolished. He stopped at the gate and slowed his pace. "Mom, would you like Satomi and I to spar with you?"

"If you wish." Sakura said, kicking a huge boulder and sending it flying. She was trying not to let it show, but what Natsumi had said had really upset her in more than one way. It was taking a huge effort not to break down and cry, so instead she was channeling her feelings into exercise.

Toshiro looked over at his sister and gave her a nod. They knew their mother well enough. They knew her feelings were hurt and that Natsumi always said things which she should really keep to herself, but things that irritated you in other people were usually traits you had yourselves. They both lunged from their spots, attacking their mom with taijutsu, only using their chakra to enhance their strength as she had taught them. "Do not listen to Natsumi Mom, you know you are an amazing ninja. How else could you have gotten dad's attention?" Toshiro said, avoiding a punch aimed for his face.

Satomi nodded, not allowing herself to hold back. It would only upset Sakura further if they didn't give it their all. Sakura dodged and returned her children's attacks, trying to lose herself in the fight. "Why she can't see that I'm trying to protect her?" she said, stomping the ground, causing large chunks of earth to fly into the air. The she began to punch the boulders she created, sending them flying at her kids.

The younger pink haired women pulled her arm back and slammed her fist into the boulder, shattering it into little fragments. Toshiro spun around and hit the rock with his foot, breaking it clean in half and having it fall on either side of him. He punched into one of the half boulders and turned, to give himself some speed and threw it back at his mother. "You know how she is Mom."

"She says things she doesn't mean all the time…you know she would never actually betray you for an enemy. She loves you, don't let her raging feelings hurt yours." Satomi said, grabbing the other large chunk and sending it sailing towards Sakura as well.

She got on her hands and spun, kicking both projectiles away from herself. Then she flipped over and ran at Toshiro, engaging him in a spar. "Well your father could have said something. He coddles your sister too much, that's why she thinks she can do whatever the hell she wants. It ridiculous."

"She's you Mom, that's why he treats her like that. Aside from your late night shenanigans, you and Natsumi are almost exactly the same. She's psychotically unstable like dad and other than that it's like a mini you. That's why she's his favorite." He tried to explain, moving from side to side to avoid a hit. He knew very well how much power those fists packed.

"I don't want her to get hurt. What if that Uchiha uses her obsession with him to his advantage? I wouldn't put it past him. And once he's done, he'll kill her. I can't lose one of you. And she's enough like me to fall for any of his schemes, believing that he means what he says." She said, continuing her attack.

Satomi joined in on the attack, making her mother fight both of them at once. "Mom give Natsumi some credit…she's a lot smarter than that. And she's really strong. She would never let herself be overcome by anyone, especially a man."

"I know. But that doesn't stop me from worrying." She said, stopping in their spar. Now that she had vented her frustrations and felt better. Her feelings were still hurt somewhat, and she probably wouldn't feel completely better for a while. She let out a sigh and smiled at her other two, who had also stopped, seeing that their mother was done. "Thank you." She said, hugging them both. "I'm going to go home and start dinner. I'm making your favorite Toshiro." She said, reaching up and ruffling her son's hair.

He smiled genuinely, "Sounds delicious."

"We'll help you mom." Satomi said softly, following their mother from the field to their home.

* * *

Natsumi stood on top of the Kage tower, staring out over her vacant desert with her arms crossed. So far, all the leaf shinobi had retreaded and were now out of the desert and she didn't sense anyone other than their own patrol. She was glad that both she and Toshiro had thought up their sonar systems. It was why no one had been able to attack Suna in surprise. The second an enemy entered Wind, whoever was monitoring the sands was alerted.

There was a sudden change in the area and Gaara formed beside his daughter, looking out at the desert as well. "What is wrong with you Natsumi?"

She scowled, not allowing herself to glance at him. "Nothing is wrong with me."

"How could you allow yourself to let an enemy escape, or allow your body to be touched in such a manner. He could have killed you." The redhead said seriously.

"But he didn't. Nor could he if he tried, I will never lose Father. I will never turn my back on Suna. You have nothing to worry about." She finally turned to face him, frowning. "I can't just keep killing and killing. I felt more alive today then I have in years. I needed something…and this was it. I actually had fun fighting."

Gaara sighed, running one of his hands through his hair. "I know that, you are not a weapon Natsumi. You are a person, and you do deserve to be normal. But flirting around with an Uchiha is not the way to go about it."

"How do you know?" she snapped, glaring at him and then went wide eyed. "I'm…sorry…"

He sighed, stepping forward and touching her cheek gently. She was his most treasured child. Gifted with his sand and training herself in speed, or so he thought it was her. "I would just like it if you would be more conservative and careful. I know you are proud of your figure and tend to use it to your advantage, but it will belong to one man and one man only."

"And if it happens to be Akito?"

"It won't." he snapped back, giving her his own glare which made her shrink back. "I want you to stay focused and stay away from that boy. He's bad. Just like his father. People _do not_ change." He said turning away from her and beginning to walk off.

"Just like you didn't?" She asked, making him stop.

He didn't say anything, they just stood in silence. Until, "You better get home before dinner is ready and apologize for your words to your mother. Or don't bother coming home at all." He disappeared in a swirl of sand then. He would not allow his daughter to manipulate him this time. She needed to be punished for her arrogance.

She glared after him, the frown on her face turning to a scowl. "Fine."


	10. Hot Springs

**Magnetism **

_Chapter Ten_

-Hot Springs-

"Oh my God this is not happening…this is _not_ happening." Gaara said nervously, resting his elbows on the desk and running his hands through his hair. "If anyone finds out she's gone…they'll attack for sure."

"Dad, Satomi and I can handle it, you need to relax. Natsumi will come back." Toshiro walked around the desk and rested his hand on his father's shoulder. "She will be fine and so will we. No one will find out Natsumi is missing."

Satomi sighed, "She's not coming back. It's been nine days and no one has seen her."

Sakura just looked out the window of the Kazekage Tower at the desert. She was worried about her child, and at the same time angry. She was just too reckless. Perhaps it was just her maternal instincts kicking in, for she knew that her daughter was strong and could handle anything. She just didn't want her to get captured and tortured the way she had been all those years ago.

"If we get attacked and Toshiro and Satomi are not enough I can always go out. It's no problem Gaara." She said, still looking out the window.

"No." Gaara said quickly, looking up at her. "You know I will not allow you to leave the village, it's too risky. And what if it's Konoha attacking. I know you say your ties were cut but…" he stopped, looking more sincere. "I can't risk that and we don't need all three of you destroying the foundation of the ground. It's risky enough having Satomi and Toshiro break away at the earth."

The younger redhead repressed a groan. "Father, you know that Natsumi and I reinforce the desert after every battle to make sure that doesn't happen. I've combed the desert time and time again and its fine."

Gaara stood then glaring at both his children. "You do not understand what happens to torture victims. I cannot protect my village and worry about my daughter at the same time. Why wasn't anyone watching where she left anyways?" he said mostly to Toshiro.

"Dad! She left the day of battle! You were the last one to see her! Even _if_ I had seen her leave, you know she is too fast to track and could have transported anywhere!" he glared, now offended that he was being blamed.

Sakura turned from the window and looked at her family. "Don't blame Toshiro. He was with me and Satomi making dinner when Natsumi left." She said, defending her oldest.

"Look it doesn't matter. I can't send anyone out to find her, or it looks suspicious and I can't risk either of you leaving. So if anyone has _any_ information that will put me at ease. I would love to hear it." He growled, not in the mood to be defied.

"Most likely, she has gone to get away from everything for a while. That's what I would do. So eventually she will come back once she has had time to get over herself." Sakura said, since Natsumi was mostly like her anyways.

"Like I said…she's never coming back." Satomi rolled her eyes and made her way to the door. "The day that girl gets over herself will be the day hell freezes over." She mumbled, slamming the door behind her. She was tired of this talk of her sister and had patients to attend to in the hospital.

Sakura sighed, knowing that Satomi was right. "We just have to have faith that she will be back. If she's gone much longer, people will find out and then she'll be branded as a traitor. There's no way she will allow that to happen." She said, kissing Gaara on the forehead. "It will be fine." She reassured.

He took her hand and brought her closer, needing her reassuring touch. "I just hope you're right."

* * *

Natsumi came out of her tent, stretching slowly. This was the fifth day she'd been in Waterfall Country. She had heard that they had the best hot springs and pools in the world and had come here since she needed to relieve some stress. She walked forward, debating on whether or not to eat something. She was glad to be away from Suna and the war.

She walked back to her tent and dug thorough her bag, pulling out something easy to fix. She lit the fire once more with some sticks and began to cook the instant meal. When it was finished, she ate it quickly, but it didn't satisfy her appetite. Subconsciously she missed her mother's cooking, but refused to let the thought linger. After getting rid of her trash she decided she needed to train, since she hadn't the day before. Just because nothing very interesting happened in Waterfall didn't mean she had to let herself fall out of shape.

The day flew by and when she noticed the sun starting its decline she headed back to her small campsite and grabbed a towel. "Time to hit the hot springs." She told herself, heading towards the area. She hadn't camped too far from the place but she also knew others used it in their travels. She went around the area, lighting the torches she had made for the times she stayed there all night. When that was done she stripped down, tossing her clothes aside and slipping into the soothing waters.

"Ahh…" she relaxed, pressing her back against the smooth rocks. "Much better." She went under quickly, running her hands through her hair to make sure all the sweat and dirt was gone. She resurfaced and shut her eyes, letting the sound of the water put her at peace.

* * *

Akito made his way through the forest, intent on getting home as soon as possible. He had been sent on a solo mission after his shoulder healed, and finished a day early. The thought ran through his mind that Waterfall was famous for its hot springs, and decided to stop by. The Hokage had fully healed his shoulder, but the muscles were sore after having to be used in his mission.

Knowing from memory where one was located, he headed in that direction. Nearing the spring, he halted, having sensed another chakra signature. Someone was there, which was odd, since it was the middle of the night. He crouched in the bushes and snuck closer.

It was a good thing that he was wearing his normal clothes, the black fabric making it easier for him to blend in. He had on black pants and a tight black shirt, its long sleeves pushed up to his elbows, the Uchiha crest on the back. He activated his sharingan and crouched lower to the ground.

Reaching the edge of a spring, he moved some of the brush aside to get a good look at who was there. His eyes widened when he saw who it was. It was Natsumi, completely naked and bathing in the spring. It explained why he had been able to sense her. Because no matter how hard she tried to mask her chakra, it was too large to cover it all.

Natsumi glanced up at the sky, getting a look at the beautiful full moon. She lifted her hands from the water, seeing they were beginning to get water wrinkled. She stood up then, oblivious to the lingering eyes on her body, and stretched slowly. After all, to her she was all alone.

He could feel his body react to seeing her fully undressed. She was flawless, despite her profession as a ninja, and he was correct in his statement that she had perfect proportions. He wrestled internally as to whether or not he should make his presence known, but decided against it. If she couldn't detect him, then she wasn't as good as he thought she was and he had overestimated her.

She moved over to the edge of the hot springs and pressed her hands on the moist grass. She froze but only for a second. She felt an odd spike and knew there was someone here with her. Her instincts took over, but she continued to act like she was unaware of the presence. She lowered down and picked up a kunai, suddenly disappearing. She grabbed onto the back collar of the man spying on her and threw him backwards and into a tree. Her battle mode was kicking in despite the fact she was naked. She was after him in an instant, pinning him to the tree and holding the kunai to his throat. Her glare turned to shock when she was met with the bloody color of the sharingan. "Akito?" she gasped, unable to hide her surprise.

He smirked, giving her a once over. "Hello squirt." He said, using her surprise to flip their positions, ridding her of the kunai and grabbing her wrists, holding them above her head. He pressed her further into the tree with his body, making it impossible for her to move. "Tell me, do you always fight this enthusiastically when you're naked?" he asked, placing a hand on her bare waist and slowly sliding it upwards.

"I never allow myself to be taken advantage of." she informed him, a small smirk coming to her face until his hand was just below her breast. She felt her face go a dark red, finally letting it sink in that she was bare before him. She wouldn't have cared if it was anyone else, because anyone else would have been dead. She actually felt short of breath, he was seeing all of her and would be able to tell.

"Hm." He said, palming her breast in his hand. "Looks like you're being taken advantage of to me." He told her, squeezing lightly.

She bit down on her lip, her eyes closing half way. "It's hard to resist when my pre-fiancé is ravishing my body with his gentle touch." She said smugly, hating just how much she actually was enjoying it. But then again, she'd never been touched in such a way by anyone. "Besides, I could take advantage of you if I wanted." she arched a bit into his waist, lifting her leg and rubbing her thigh between his. "You're enjoying the feel by the way."

His smirk widened. "What man wouldn't? Your body is perfect." He rotated his hips against hers. "What are you doing out here anyways? The clothes you left by the spring are the same from when we fought."

"I…" she stopped, remembering the fight she had had with her family. "My family doesn't like you, so I ran away." She said bluntly and then realized she had just given him a very valuable piece of information. If anyone knew Suna's most deadly weapon was missing they would attack in a heartbeat. "Please don't tell anyone that…" she said softly, actually looking alarmed, a look he remembered from those many years ago when she was scared.

"It doesn't aid in my interests at all to inform anyone of your departure. How dare you think so little of me." He said, showing mock hurt. He moved his hand from her breast to the center of her chest, placing it between their bodies and sliding it down her stomach.

She closed her eyes fully. "This is weird." She mumbled, looking back at him for only a moment and then shutting her beautiful jade eyes once more. "You're not trying to kill me, even after I tried to murder you. Do you really want me that badly?" She wanted him to drop her hands so she could wrap her arms around his neck and pull him closer. She didn't know why that impulse washed over her, but she just needed to.

He gave her a curious look, not completely sure of the answer himself. "We are at war, I would expect nothing less. And, at the moment, I don't feel like fighting you. I had actually come here to use the facility. My shoulder his sore." He told her, stopping his hand when it rested just above her most intimate area. "But I suppose I shall just leave. Konoha has its own hot springs anyways, and I wouldn't want to scar your virgin eyes with the sight of my body." He said with a smirk.

"Right," she rolled her eyes, "how about you let me go and I'll tend to your shoulder while we soak in the hot springs together." She arched a brow, now wanting nothing more than to see him naked. After all, he had been blessed with the opportunity of seeing her body. "I mean…we are going to be engaged so who else deserves to see you more than me. And who knows…we could have lot of fun together. Alone and naked in a hot springs." She smiled, leaning forward and moving her leg from between his legs and wrapping it around his waist. "I know you want to."

"Are you suggesting we call a temporary truce for selfish reasons, in order to do naughty things to the other's body while soaking in the hot springs, only to terminate it when we go our separate ways?" he asked with a raised brow, wanting to clarify. Because she was right, he _really_ wanted to get in with her.

She looked over to the alluring springs and then back at his red eyes. She couldn't quite remember what his real eye color was. "I wouldn't exactly say terminate, more like put some tension on our emotional relationship. Besides, as a doctor, I have to make sure a wounded soldier is tended to…in _every_ way."

"True, I wouldn't want to go against my doctor's orders." He said, letting go of her hands and stepping away from her. He gave her body an appreciative look, then turned and walked towards the springs. He still hadn't dropped his guard, but he was complimenting her in the fact that he had turned his back on her. He unfastened the kunai holster around his waist and the one on his leg, letting them drop to the ground. Then he turned and looked at her over his shoulder. "You can go ahead and get back in. You look a little chilled." He smirked, his gaze flickering to her chest.

When she walked up behind him she was covering her breasts with one of her arms. "Oh no." she looked up at him, stopping once she was before him and dropping her arm. She gripped onto his shirt and pulled it off before he could even get in a word. "I'll get in at the same time you do." she started fumbling around with his pants, intent on getting them off so she could see his most intimate parts. "Besides, if you succumb to your wound I need to be there to stabilize you." She said quickly, lowering her hand into his unbuttoned pants and making him stiffen from her grip.

He grabbed her wrist and gave her a meaningful look. "Gently." He said, removing her hand from him. "And, there's no hurry. It's not like I'm going anywhere." He said, smiling at her eagerness. He stepped away and took off the rest of his clothes, standing unashamedly naked in front of her.

She let out an appreciative sigh, letting her eyes take in his body. It was gorgeous, well toned. She touched her fingers to her lips, taking in what was sure to be God's gift to the world. Then she looked lower and tried to keep the smile off her face, she didn't want to seem too eager. "Well then…" she turned her back to him and walked over to the hot spring. She glanced back, offering her hand to him so they could get it in at the same time. "Ready?"

He walked over to her and took her hand wordlessly. They got into the hot water together, and Akito couldn't help but let out a small sigh at how great the water felt. He sat on a small ledge in the pool, allowing for his shoulder to get wet, the heat in the water slowly easing the tension he was feeling. She moved behind him, not bothering to hide her bold touch. But now she was actually thinking about his wound, she let her fingers trace over the area, a light green glow emitting from her fingertips. She wanted to soothe his pain in any way she could. His muscles relaxed further, all soreness leaving slowly. "Tell me if that feels better."

"It does." He told her. "The technique you used on my Sensei was very impressive. It took Tsunade three days to figure out how to fully reverse and stop its effects."

"I would expect nothing less from my mother's teacher. Though, I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't get all of it. I developed it myself so it would go undetected by all other medics. If he has any problems with that leg in the next few weeks…you could always send me a letter…or something…" she offered, blushing a bit. She felt somewhat foolish for sounding so hopeful that he might contact her. "I mean you don't have to, but I'd be willing to help if we're not in the middle of a fight." She smoothed her hands down his back, moving one to his front and healing the muscles from both sides.

He relaxed fully to her touch, laying his head on her shoulder. "Should anything come up, I will send a letter directly to you using my summons."

She rested her head on his, feeling her own muscles relax. "You know…it doesn't necessarily have to be a problem…you could just…send one if you felt like it." She mentally cursed, biting down on her lower lip. What was it about him that made her guard just drop? She only knew him for a day, despite the fact that when she saw him she felt as if they were always supposed to be. Like if the war had never happened, their lives would have been together.

He turned his head and looked at her, taking in her expression. He would never have thought to contact her for any other reason really, but now that she had mentioned it, it didn't sound like a bad idea. "I didn't realize you had grown so fond of me so quickly." He said, smiling slightly. Then his face grew serious. "If you wish for me to write you regularly I will. My summons can just wait for you to reply, or you can contact me in your own way." Because in reality, he didn't know that much about her, and he wanted to. There was something about her that caused him to act differently. He felt like he had known her for years, as if he was meant to be with her. It was an odd sensation, one that needed further investigation.

"I would like that." she whispered softly, removing her hands from his back and chest. "I can get you a letter though. I wouldn't want you to waste chakra." She moved away from him, stopping in front of him and resting her delicate hands on his legs. She leaned up, pressing her forehead against his, their lips barely touching. "I don't understand. I mean I know you're really attractive but…you…I hardly know you, but my body and my mind feels like it's yours. It just doesn't make any sense."

"I know, but I'm just going with it." He said, leaning forward and pressing his lips against hers in a soft kiss. She lifted her hands from the water and held his face gently, kissing him back. It was better than anything she could imagine. She felt alive, more alive than when she was in battle. She moved a bit, straddling his waist and pressing herself against him. It was a much different feel than when they were pressed together in battle, even when she was naked and he was clothed.

They broke finally, needing to catch a breath. "I like going with it."

"Good." He said. He placed his hands on her hips and brought them up her sides, stopping when he reached her arms. He pulled her closer and kissed her once more, this one more heated. Then he began a trail down her throat. When he reached the juncture where her neck met her shoulder he bit down, smoothing the skin over with his tongue. "You are so soft." He said.

She tilted her head to the side, allowing him further access to her flesh. She took in a sharp breath when he bit down on her skin. "I know," she smiled, lifting her hands and running them through his hair. "I've never been hit before. So I'm in pristine condition for you."

"I can tell." He said, pulling away. His hands came around and stopped when he reached the sides of her breasts. Then his thumbs slowly made their way towards the most sensitive part of her chest. "Sorry I can't say the same. That hit you got on me left a small scar."

Her gaze lowered then to his shoulder, seeing the small fault. "That's ok, a man is sexy when he has a scar." She lowered her head and pressed her lips against the small blemish. "I'm sorry Akito's shoulder," she snickered, lowering her hands back into the water, tracing her fingers along his excited length. "Maybe I should make your other body parts feel good too."

His breath hitched. "I think they would really like that." He told her, fully holding her breasts in his hands. Then he began to rub them. She returned her gaze to his, pressing her lips against his once more and kissing him deeply. She lowered her kisses, biting down his neck. She didn't care if she marked him, it would be something nice to show off. She glanced up watching his face, even a stone cold Uchiha wouldn't be able to take what she was doing to him beneath the hot water.

She pulled her face back and admired her work. There was at least six hickey's adorning his neck. Then she watched his face, enjoying the lower in his guard and the look of bliss replacing his usual stoic expression. "So…enjoying my _handy_ work?"

He groaned lightly. "I think the answer is obvious." He said, leaning against the edge of the pool and gripping it. Never in his life had he felt this great before, and he was actually surprised that he was letting someone dominate him. But he just couldn't find it in himself to care.

She continued to rub his most sensitive area until she got what she wanted from him. "I know, but this is kind of like a hostage situation and the captor always likes to hear what they want to hear. And you never know how far they will go, so if you don't mind Akito. I'd like a straight forward answer." She demanded with a wry smile. "So how does it feel, _darling_?" she asked sweetly, slowing her rate that she was pleasing him to a painfully slow pace.

He locked gazes with her, his eyes slowly bleeding back to their natural forest green. She couldn't help but stare, wide eyed at his beautiful green. She remembered how stunning his eyes were and it made her completely relax. He sat up slowly, never letting his gaze leave hers. His arms came down into the water, and he traced them up her thighs slowly. When he reached her hips, he brought down his right hand and stroked her slit. Then he began to rub it at the same tempo she was rubbing him. "Pretty similar to how this feels I imagine, _honey_." He responded.

She let out a small cry, her grip on him tightening just a bit. She rested her head on his shoulder, trying to catch her breath. "So it feels amazing." she smirked, kissing his neck as well. She closed her eyes, trying to focus on her task and best him at this new competition. She gripped him fully, resting her free hand on his chest and speeding up so that she could have the upper hand once more.

Not wanting to lose this battle, he brought his left hand back up to her chest. Once it reached its destination, he slowly inserted a finger into her hole. "Yes, yes it does." He agreed, beginning to move his digit within her.

"Wait." She removed her hand from his and grabbed his wrist. "This is too fast," she breathed out, already feeling the effects of what he had done. She wanted more, but she needed to end their touching before they did something they both might not regret now, but later. "We're going to have to try and kill each other, we can't…go down that road…not yet." She trailed kisses down his neck, nuzzling into the crook of his neck.

He removed his finger and placed his hands at her waist, disappointed and yet understanding at the same time. "Alright." He said, rubbing circles on her hips. Then he began to kiss her neck, wanting to leave a mark.

She moaned softly, loving the contact they were sharing. "I'm sorry," she traced her fingers down his abs and then to his back, wanting to let him know he could do anything he wanted without going too far. "I just won't be able to kill you if we do that. And I'd like to think the same for you."

"I've…never done anything like that before, so I don't know. Probably not…since nobody has ever touched my body this way either. I just…don't feel like killing you." He said, pulling away and giving her a confused look. "This is extremely weird for me. Usually I kill without regret, but I know that if I were to kill you I would regret it."

She smiled, taking his face in her hands once more and kissing him sweetly. "It's not like this is natural for me, I may flaunt my body but I've never allowed anyone to see it before." She pointed out, continuing her embrace. "But you can touch me whenever you want."

He hugged her to him, bringing her closer. "It's going to stay that way. I don't care if we're enemies. No man touches or sees my pre-fiancé's body or they die." He said fiercely, kissing her possessively.

She kissed him back aggressively, returning her hands to his hair and pressing his face into hers. "You know it's attractive when you threaten to kill people, especially when it's for me." She mumbled against his lips, grinding her lower half against his, keeping his growing erection hard. She stopped in her ravish of his lips and gave him a sympathetic look. "Will you stay with me tonight?"

"Of course. But we're going to have to work on how tempting you are. Staying in this state and not doing anything about it is painful." He said with a grin, moving her hips so that she rubbed against him again.

Her eyes rolled back a bit and she bit down on her lower lip, suppressing a moan. "I promise, I'll put clothes on." She said softly, stroking his cheek.

"Then I will as well, so that you aren't tempted." He brought his hands up and cupped her cheeks, kissing her once more. It was then he noticed how shriveled his fingertips were. "Where is your tent? I think we've played in the water long enough."

She blinked and nodded, moving off of him despite her want to stay. She stood up, not bothering to hide her body from him anymore since he had said it belonged to him and she did not mind at all. "It's nearby, right over there." She pointed, moving towards the edge of the spring.

He stood as well and followed her to the edge. As he got out of the spring, he reached over and squeezed her rear, smacking it lightly as he got out. "Lead the way fair lady." He said, standing on the edge and looking down at her.

She huffed and glared up at him, but it didn't hold for long. "You have a very weird fascination with my butt, you know that?" she grabbed her towel and began to dry off, tossing it over to him once she was finished. She picked up her clothes and pulled on her underwear, taking her time fastening her bra so he could take in her body some more. She did like how he looked at her after all.

As he dried off he smirked at her, a devilish glint in his eyes. "I have a weird fascination with all of you, and your butt just happened to be in grabbing distance. You can always touch mine if you want." He said, bending over to get his clothes.

"Oh really?" she gasped, turning around and running back over to him in nothing but her bra and underwear. "Because you really do have a nice butt, probably due to all that hard training." she giggled, stopping herself because she was starting to sound like a fan girl. "I'm sorry,' she blinked holding her hands over her face. "You just make me really excited…I don't know why, I'm sorry I'm not usually this…annoying sounding."

He straightened and turned to stare at her. Then he reached out and grabbed one of her hands, revealing half of her blushing face. "You don't sound annoying to me. I think it's cute." He said, the corner of his mouth lifting in a half smile. Then he placed her hand on his own rear, patting the back on her hand. "There, satisfy your curiosity before I get dressed."

Her breath hitched, but she let her hand grab onto his toned butt, it was just as firm as she thought it would be. He really did have an amazing body. "Wow," she said without thinking. She blushed even darker, why did she sound like such an idiot. She gave it another firm squeeze and pulled away, looking down at his other manly appendage. "Get dressed, unless you want to be raped." She teased, turning away from him to go get her other clothes.

"It isn't rape if I like it." He said, getting dressed.

She smirked, choosing not to pleasure him with an answer. She dressed as well and when she was done she turned back to him, walking up to him and walking her fingers up his chest. "Ready? I can't wait to be alone in a tent with you, no one to see, the zipper drawn. Could be exciting." She leaned up, getting on her tip toes and kissing him sweetly to give him a taste.

"Anything you do excites me." He told her, wrapping his arm around her waist.

"Duly noted." She smirked, pulling from his grasp, but taking his hands with her and then leading him to her small campsite. When they arrived she showed him, making a small joke about welcoming him to her humble abode. She unzipped the tent and went in, having him follow close after. He zipped it back up and looked over at her, noticing she had actually been here for a while.

"Just…how long have you been here?" he asked curiously.

She tapped her chin and thought back on when she had run away. "Going on ten days I think, it's been peaceful so I wasn't really counting." She shrugged and pulled off her ninja shoes once more, tossing them to the corner. "So…how do we do sleeping arrangements?" she arched a brow, leaning back on the comfy makeshift bed, propping herself up with her elbows and crossing her legs.

He took off his shoes as well and looked over at her as he sat them in the corner. "Well I can either sleep on the floor, or we can share the bed. You pick. I promise I won't do anything, unless you beg me." He said, giving her a mischievous look.

"Depends, how much will I have to beg?" she smirked.

"Depends on what you want me to do to you." He countered.

She looked off, appearing deep in thought. "What if I'm not begging you with words?"

"Then I might be persuaded a lot quicker."

She lay back, resting on the bed. "As long as you don't mind being pressed together so close that I might not be able to stop myself from seducing you."

"I don't." he said, getting on the bed next to her. He pulled her close to his body and kissed her lightly. "Sleep well Princess."

Her eyes lit up, completely absorbed with his flattery. "You too…my sweet Prince." She giggled, remembering her one fond memory of Konoha. He had told her he was a prince and since she was a princess it was true, they were meant to be. This night only proved her theory. She nuzzled into him, resting her head on his chest, taking in his crisp, clean scent.

He wrapped an arm around her, making sure she was secured to his body. He felt utterly at peace with her lying next to him. With a sigh he shut his eyes and relaxed. Soon sleep found the pair, and they remained undisturbed the rest of the night.


	11. Encounter

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Eleven_

-Encounter-

Akito's eyes flashed open and he looked around, trying to get a bear on his surroundings. When he felt a warm body pressed against him he remembered that he was with Natsumi in her tent in Waterfall. He let a smile come to his face. He had actually slept really well that night, despite being in enemy territory, lying with a different enemy. Although, his mind didn't categorize her as an enemy now, which was odd.

He looked through a crack in the tent flap and noticed that the sun was beginning to rise. He sighed. It was time for him to go. He needed to get back to Konoha in time for it not to be suspicious. If he took too long to return his father would definitely know that something was up, since it never took him the estimated amount of time to complete a mission. He was always early.

Rolling onto his side, Akito nuzzled Natsumi on the neck, trying to rouse her. He wanted to say goodbye before leaving. "Wake up Natsumi." He said softly. She let out a soft groan, not used to being awoken so early in the morning.

She finally opened her eyes, looking up at him sleepily, "What?" she mumbled, still trying to get the tiredness from her face. She yawned loudly, beginning to rub one of her eyes to try and wake up.

He smiled down at her. "I must leave soon. If I arrive home late they will become suspicious." He brought up a hand and stroked her cheek. "Has anyone told you how cute you look in the morning?" he asked.

"No," she smiled sleepily. "But I've never slept with someone before."

"Be that as it may, you do." He kissed her gently. He let out a sigh. "I really must head back by noon at the latest."

She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. "Good cause' I'm not quite ready to get up." She mumbled, closing her eyes once more and nuzzling into his chest. "You're so warm."

"It's because I have great circulation." He replied, running his fingers through her hair. "Your hair is even softer than I remember."

"I try to keep up my appearance as well as my fighting. I like to prove that women can be both beautiful and deadly." She explained, enjoying his caressing touch. This was amazing, lying with him as if they were already betrothed. It felt like she had butterflies in her stomach. "When are you going to propose to me Uchiha Akito? Hm?"

"Consider the day I turn traitor for you my proposal." He told her, continuing to stroke her luscious pink locks.

She snickered, "That day isn't any time soon." She informed him with a sigh. "But it's ok, because when I turn traitor you can accept that as a yes."

He smiled. "If it helps, you can consider this me courting you, since I was unable to for the past twelve years."

"Fair enough," she nodded and then her eyes flashed open. "Someone's here." She pushed off of him and pulled on her shoes, combing her fingers through her hair. "And they have a very large chakra reserve." She explained, getting up as she finished pulling on her last shoe. Akito did the same and they were both outside the tent quickly.

A man landed in the clearing, looking a bit surprised at the scene. He had sandy blonde hair, forming around his face. It was somewhat spiky and his bangs fell into his eyes. He looked between the two with oddly golden-brown eyes. He had on tan pants that tucked into white tights that covered his shins and looped under his black ninja shoes. He had a dark green long sleeve shirt on and an open green jounin vest. "Hey…I know who you two are…" he said sounding more than confused. He looked suspicious then, "You're Uchiha Akito from Leaf." He pointed to Akito and then looked over at Natsumi. "And you're Sabaku no Natsumi, the daughter of the Kazekage." He looked her over and gave her a friendly smile. "Wow you _are_ really pretty." He said, not meaning anything much by it. Because, she was in fact a very beautiful woman. He scratched his head as if he were trying to think of some explanation. "Why are you two together…in the woods…alone? And not trying to kill each other."

"Well, uh…" they both began, talking at once with different excuses.

The blonde started to laugh, holding his sides. "Oh my God, you two are totally sleeping together!"

"That is not true and you have no proof." Akito said, crossing his arms. He looked over at Natsumi. "I say we kill him."

"I agree." She looked over at him, letting her hands fall to her sides.

The man sighed and held up his hands in surrender. "Look, I'm not looking for a fight. My name is Kyo I'm-"

"The Tsuchikage's grandson. I know who you are, what I am unaware of is why that is relevant." She interrupted, pulling out two kunai from her holster and tossing one into her other hand. "Killing the child or grandchild of a Kage is a big deal, so why are you hesitating?"

He scratched the back of his head and laughed. "Cause' I'm tired. I didn't mean to intrude upon your love making and I'm not one to judge. Really man," he looked over at Akito. "She's very attractive. I don't blame you." He smiled and then looked back to Natsumi. "You have a twin sister don't you, is she as pretty as you?"

"No, she's actually really ugly. I wouldn't even think about going there." Akito scoffed, lowering his arms. His sharingan was activated, but he didn't perceive this man as a threat at the moment.

"My sister's not ugly." Natsumi huffed, giving Akito a look.

"Well, you are _way_ prettier than her, which means she's ugly." He surmised.

She arched a brow, crossing her arms. "Now you're just saying that so I won't get mad…even if it _is_ true."

"Well," Kyo sighed, taking a step backwards. "You guys are obviously busy so I'm just going to-"

"Hold it right there!" they both yelled, pointing at him.

Natsumi stepped forward, letting her sand swarm around her in a threatening manner. "We can't let you go now that you've seen us. We can't risk it."

"So you _are_ sleeping together. I already told you I won't say anything. I'm no fool to get caught in crossfire between Suna and Konoha." He held up his hands in defense.

"If by sleeping together you mean sharing a bed, then yes. We were. Any other connotation of the word is incorrect…at this moment." The young Uchiha told the Iwa ninja.

Kyo laughed and shook his head. "There's no way you two haven't done anything dirty." He set his hands on his hips, shaking his head. "And considering you did something naughty, if you didn't have sex then that's just sad."

Natsumi let out a yell, done with this weirdo and his accusing manner. She disappeared and when she was beside him she aimed one of her kunai to his throat. His kind expression vanished and slanted into a serious look. He dodged her attacks with ease, but they were all close calls. There was fluidity to his movements until he stumbled over an exposed root and Natsumi got in a cut right across his cheek.

He flipped back and wiped at the blood. "There's no way that Suna's demon is that slow." He smirked, only making Natsumi fume with irritation.

"I'll show you slow!" she yelled, picking up the pace and slamming her leg down. He blocked it, crossing his arms but slid back.

"I really don't want to fight." He sighed, jumping back and pulling out an explosive tag.

Akito let out a sigh as well. He could tell that Natsumi had already made up her mind to kill this man, so he decided to join in. The blonde was getting on his nerves anyways. In an instant he was behind the Rock nin, aiming a kick for his head.

He ducked low, having both Natsumi and Akito's legs slam against one another. They both grimaced, feeling pain shoot up their spines from the impact. "Ow…ow…" she growled, holding her shin as Kyo ran away.

"Look, let's all calm down." He waved his hands in front of his face. "It's hard enough to think someone can take down an Uchiha, but an Uchiha _and_ the Desert Princess? I don't think so, I do enjoy living. Plus…it would be sad if your images were tarnished by defeat."

"Oh my God." Natsumi growled forming her hands to fists. "He did _not_."

Akito's eyes bled into the Mangekyou he was so annoyed. "Excuse me?" he asked, slowly walking towards Kyo. "You are nowhere near good enough to defeat _me_. I will show you the true meaning of pain." He said, voice dangerously low.

"Will you Uchiha?" Kyo asked with a dark smirk. "I'm trying to let you guys off because I'm not entirely positive that I can beat you, but the fact that princess over there just woke up and is not a morning person and her feathers are so ruffled she's making sloppy mistakes adding to the fact you are now riled up because I'm insulting you and your lovely forbidden lady. You both are not focused." He formed a few hand seals and suddenly water shot out at them. They both dodged, dashing side to side. The water started to cover the entire area and then he finished, letting a small smile form on his face.

"What are you laughing at?" Natsumi barked, looking over at Akito and nodding. They both charged for him, having speed on their side. Suddenly, their feet stuck to the ground and due to the inertia fell forward hitting the now hard cement face first.

Kyo laughed once more shaking his head. "You two are so flustered that you can't even take in that that wasn't water."

Akito stood, grimacing slightly. He reduced his sharingan back to the normal one, and glanced at the sky. They had wasted almost an hour with this loser. "Natsumi, Blondie here is right. Besides, I must leave soon in order to make it back in time." He said, taking a deep breath in order to calm down. It wouldn't do to make a fatal mistake just because he was embarrassed at having been caught breaking the rules.

She stood up, with some difficulty since she could not move her feet. Her sand crept around her and slammed down onto the ground, breaking up the now hardened cement around both their feet. "Look," Natsumi held up her hands to try and clear the karma. "Kyo…this isn't what it looks like. Ok but even though it isn't it would be wise for the one who saw it to keep his annoying mouth shut. Do you understand?"

"I'm sorry, do you mind repeating that?" he arched a brow, leaning his ear more closely. "I must have misheard. But it sounded like you wanted the word about Uchiha Akito fucking Sabaku no Natsumi kept a secret. That would make you guys traitors…right?"

"We're _not_ traitors!" they both shouted together.

"Basically, you didn't see anything. At all." Akito said, crossing his arms.

He shrugged, giving them both a meaningful look. "Whatever you guys say. I didn't see anything." He stuck his hands in his pockets and started towards Iwa. "Try not to make her scream so loudly, it tends to draw people's attention. But of course…like you said, I didn't see anything." He smirked and then disappeared through the trees.

Natsumi groaned, covering her hands with her face. "That right there is a perfect example of why everyone hates Iwa." Akito said, pointing after the blonde. Then he walked back over to the tent and went inside. When he emerged he had his kunai holsters on, having only had enough time to put on his shoes before exiting the tent. "If I ever see him again I'm going to kill him, just because he irks me."

"What are we going to do?" she asked him worriedly. "If he does say anything, despite if we deny it, it's going to raise questions and suspicious."

He walked over to her and stroked her cheek tenderly. "Who cares? There is no proof, and neither one of our countries trust or like Iwa, so they will be skeptical if any news comes from them. Besides, it's kind of fun…breaking the rules just to spend time with you." He said, bringing her closer to him.

She blinked, staring up at him with starry eyes. "Really?" she asked, seeming a bit dubious to the statement. She gripped onto his tight black shirt, glancing away nervously.

His brow furrowed. "I don't understand why you doubt the things I tell you. Never, since the day we met, have I lied to you or said something I haven't meant."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry." She pressed into him, resting her cheek on his chest. "It's just…I've never been treated like a person by anyone outside my family, aside from you. But that was one day, it always seems like I'm talked to or about like I'm something to be owned or…" she stopped, pressing her lips tightly together. "Like a weapon."

He gently grasped her chin in his hand and tilted her face upwards so that she was looking him in the eyes, which were now green. "When I look at you, all I see is the little girl lost in the park, and then the fierce warrior standing on a battlefield, in her element, and lastly, I see the beautiful woman sleeping next to me. They are all a part of who you are Natsumi, but I will never treat you like a weapon, or something to be owned. I…know what it's like to be treated as such, and I would never, _ever_, do that to another person." He said fiercely.

She searched his eyes for any sign of deceit. She couldn't even form a thought around what emotion she was feeling. "I'm not a weapon…" she repeated him, as is trying to wrap her mind around the concept. "And you understand?" she asked, her grip on his tightening. They really were destined for one another, just like she thought.

He smirked sadly at her. "Natsumi, I'm the sole heir to the Uchiha line, other than my Father, gaining my Sharingan at the ripe age of six and a half. That was even before my Uncle Itachi did, and he was the greatest prodigy the village had ever seen. Ever since I knew how to walk I've been taught how to kill, how to infiltrate, and how to escape without anyone knowing. The only time I am sent on the front lines is when they need a huge elimination of the enemy. People instantly think of death when they hear my name, or what I can accomplish for 'the good of the village'. Of all the people in this world, I think I'm the one who understands you the most."

"My dearest soul mate." She breathed out, reaching her hands up and holding his face. "When I hear your name my heart flutters with the excitement from the seed you planted when I was only six years old. I've dreamed of meeting you all my life since that moment, knowing you would be my knight in shining armor to save me from my sorrow. And you have." she whispered, pressing her lips against his in a sweet, yet passion filled kiss.

He returned her kiss, pulling her closer to his body. When they parted, he stroked her head, running his fingers through her hair. "Whenever you become sad, send me a letter, and I will take you away." He said, kissing her once more.

She smiled against his lips, "Anytime I want?"

"Any time you want. And I will do everything in my power to see you." He promised. He didn't want to promise anything concrete, because he never knew when he would be away on a mission or fighting. But he did mean what he said. He would do whatever it took to see her and save her from her controlled life.

She smoothed her hands back, wrapping them around his neck and pulling him closer as she played with the tips of his hair. "If you ever want happiness you can always just send me a letter. I will tear down the walls of Konoha to get to you."

He chuckled. "I'm sure you will. Let's just hope for the sake of my village it doesn't come down to that."

"Well…we'll see." She smirked, kissing him again. "You should probably go…" she sighed, not willing to release him yet. She didn't want to feel lifeless again.

He kissed her once more, stroking her cheek when he pulled away. "Expect a letter." He informed her.

She gripped his hand tightly, but then slowly loosened her grip. Their fingers were the only thing connecting them now. "Until then…and the next time I have to try and kill you."

He smirked once more. "Key word being try." He said. Then he formed a few hand signs and jumped high into the air, landing on the back of a large hawk that swooped from the sky and flying away.

She stared after him, her smile slowly fading into a sad frown. She sighed, walking over to her things and beginning to pack them. It was time to go home, she had no idea what had been happening with the war since she ran away, and she was actually beginning to miss her family.

She gathered the things that actually mattered and got ready to head back to Suna. When she was ready she took off in the direction of her precious desert. It didn't take her more than a day to reach the border of Wind, and the moment she stepped into the desert she dispersed into sand, soaring through the crisp night air. She couldn't wait to be home, she just hoped everyone wouldn't be too mad at her.

The grains swam past the large gates and through the village finally making their way to the most prestigious mansion in the village. She formed in front of the door and threw it open, walking into the foyer. "I'm home!"

Sakura poked her head out of the kitchen, pausing in making chocolate ice cream for Toshiro and herself, and let out a small sigh of relief at the sight of her daughter. She had cleaned the entire house while Natsumi had been gone, needing something to do in her free time when she wasn't at the hospital or helping Gaara. She had even gone so far as to clean his entire office from top to bottom. And when she had run out of things to clean, she began to cook, since it helped calm her nerves. Satomi had even helped her bake some cookies. But she refrained from saying anything, still hurt and upset with her youngest child. The fact that she had even come home expecting everyone to be happy ticked the elder medic off a little, but she wasn't really in the mood to fight. The week and a half of worrying she'd done had been enough strain on her emotions for a while. After glancing at her daughter and making sure she was okay, she turned and went back over to the counter in order to finish stirring the ingredients together.

Seeing her mother's reluctance she went into the living room, where she sensed her brother and father. "Hello." She waved giving them a beautiful smile.

"Natsumi!" Toshiro exclaimed, getting up from his chair and hugging his sister tightly. "Thank God you're alright." He smiled, placing her hands on her shoulders. "I thought you had died." He laughed, his smile turning into a smirk.

"I would never die, you know better than that Toshiro." She waved him off but gave him another hug in return.

Gaara watched the two silently, looking back down to his scrolls with a small smile. He was glad she returned safely and nothing had happened to Suna while she was away. Maybe she just needed some time to think and cool off from her Uchiha high. He nodded with assurance, she must have seen the error of her ways and was now ready to focus. "Natsumi what's on your neck?" Toshiro asked, furrowing his brow in confusion. She went wide eyed and her hand flew to her neck, covering the evidence of her encounter with the Uchiha.

"It looks like you got bit." He said, trying to pry her hand off. Quickly she sent some of her healing chakra into her fingers and the hickeys she had received were gone. When Toshiro finally pulled her hand down he studied her skin. "I was sure I saw something there." He sighed but then shrugged. "Whatever. Glad you're home." He waved, leaving the living room to go get some ice cream.

The elder redhead just stared at his youngest, suspicion obvious on his features. "Well, I'm tired so night Dad!" she waved, hurrying from the room before he could ask any questions.

Curious, Sakura poked her head out of the kitchen once more and watched as her youngest bounded up the stairs. She walked into the living room then and plopped onto the couch next to Gaara, letting out a sigh. "I'm so glad she's back safely." She said, resting her head on her husband's shoulder.

He kept his gaze on the doorway but then slowly shifted down to Sakura. "As am I…but I think she had hickeys on her neck."

She gave him a skeptical look, tilting her head so that she could see his face more clearly. "I dunno… she made it pretty clear that the only person she liked was that Uchiha boy. And I doubt she went out and found him…" she looked from him to the doorway and back again. "Do you think that's where she was?"

"No I don't think she went to Konoha, or even sought him out. I'm just saying, if Toshiro saw something and what I did see looked like it to me." He placed his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer. "Besides considering who she looks like the Uchiha might even come after her."

She smiled at him and wrapped her arm around his midsection. "You think so?"

"Nah…you're probably right." He smiled leaning down and kissing her sweetly. "Besides if she were alone with that boy for even a day she probably would no longer be innocent. So if we really want to know you could always check with your medical abilities."

"I will if you want me to. Although she would most likely be acting a bit differently had she lost it." Sakura told him, beginning to trace random patterns on his chest.

He nodded, "True. She would have never come back then." He smirked, looking down at her, tracing his fingers down her stomach and lower. "Just like a certain naughty girl."

She returned his smirk and threw one of her legs over his lap, pressing into him in the process. "Well…you know what they say. The naughty deserve to be punished."

"I couldn't agree more." He got up, grabbing her with him and tossing her over his shoulder. "Time to be punished for treason Haruno Sakura. Your punishment is an endless night of screams." He told her patting her behind with his hand. He started out into the hall and then up the stairs to their bedroom.

"I think I can handle it."

"Good," he gave her rear another squeeze and shut the door behind them, sliding the lock into place.


	12. Konoha

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Twelve_

-Konoha-

Akito made a face at himself in the mirror as he took in his appearance. It had been almost a week since he had seen Natsumi at the hot springs, and he still had marks on his chest and neck from her ministrations. Not that he was upset or anything, but he'd had to wear a turtleneck ever since he got back. On top of that, it had been abnormally humid in Konoha lately, but there was no way he would wear his normal clothes and risk someone seeing the hickeys. He couldn't even go to the hospital or the Hokage and have them heal the red marks, since they would ask questions. And it wasn't like Minako had the personality type to do this to him, she was too proper. Perhaps that was what he liked about Natsumi. She wasn't afraid to break the rules and live a little. She kept him on his toes, and had a sense of humor that could make even the most boring person laugh.

Once he was finished dressing he grabbed his sword and went to the training room his father had installed in the house. It was still fairly early, so he could train for a few hours before having to meet Minako.

About three hours later he finished his training and took a quick shower, not wanting to smell of sweat. Shortly afterwards his doorbell rang, and when he opened it a smiling Minako was standing on his porch.

"Good Morning Akito-kun! Are you ready to go?" she asked.

"I'm always ready to go." He replied, shutting the door and following her to the shopping district in the village.

They walked around the village, picking out tablecloth colors, napkin colors, china, all kinds of ridiculous nonsense required for a wedding. Akito just didn't understand any of it. Could they not just go to a church or something, say their vows and be done with it all? Why did the place have to be so ridiculously decorated, and why did they have to feed and entertain a bunch of stupid people? They were there to witness a wedding, not gorge themselves on luscious food and party all night.

The worst part was how Minako would ask for his opinion on every little thing. Whether or not he liked the way something looked, or if he wanted teal or turquoise to line the rims of the plates. What was the difference between teal and turquoise? They looked the same to him.

When they stopped at a restaurant for lunch, he thought he was finally going to be set free. But then Minako wanted to go and look at the different rooms offered in the hotel that they were going to be married in. They had picked the location, but not which room. She still wasn't sure which one she wanted, since she wasn't completely sure how many people she was inviting. Why did girls have to know so many people? To him, a few friends and family members were enough. But since Minako was related to the Hyuugas, they were going by the book. Their wedding was going to be 'the biggest of the century', and it was going to include all of the members of each clan. He hated being a part of a clan. Even though it was just him and his father, the Hyuugas had taken it upon themselves to teach him clan traditions and the like. It made sense though. Hiashi Hyuuga had been planning for him to marry his granddaughter since the day she was born, so it only made sense he know everything that the Hyuugas do, as well as the Uchihas.

Natsumi wasn't part of a clan. Sure her last name was well known around the ninja world, but that was because of whom her parents were and the fact that she was an excellent fighter. Now that he thought about it, he wondered if this was what it would be like should it be her he was being forced to marry. No, he would have chosen to marry her most likely. She was so beautiful and bright, and yet at the same time fierce and stern. Minako was great and all, but she had been his best friend since birth, so marrying her would be like marrying a sister. He wasn't even sure if he would be able to perform his husbandly rights, or even if he wanted to. Natsumi was the only one he had ever gotten close to doing anything of the sort with, and he wanted it to remain that way.

That train of thought caused him to remember what they had done all those nights ago in the hot springs, and he smiled. Suddenly his shoulder was being shaken, and he could hear his name being called. He looked down and locked gazes with Minako.

"Well? What do you think Akito-kun?" she asked, giving him an expectant look.

He looked around, trying to see what she was talking about. "What?" he asked, unable to figure it out.

Minako sighed and pointed over to a display. "Do you want cream or light beige for the napkins?"

"Beige?" he said, not sure if it was right.

"No, I think cream would look better." She said, writing down in her little wedding notebook. She looked back up at him. "Should we have ice cream with the cake? Or a few pies?"

"Pies." He told her. If people didn't like cake, they could eat pies, right?

"Um, I think it would be better if we had ice cream and pies. Everybody likes ice cream." She said, writing it down.

Now he was beyond annoyed. "Why am I here?" he asked, finally letting his agitation show.

Her pale brow scrunched in confusion. "What do you mean? You're here because I want to know what you think, so that way we are both happy with the wedding."

"There is no way in hell I will ever be happy with this wedding." He said, not caring that he was drawing other people's attention.

Blue eyes widened. "Wh-what?"

"I don't understand why you wanted me to come along. Every time you ask me a question and I answer it, you pick the opposite. If you don't like what I pick, at all, then I don't understand why you even bother to ask. I don't care about what colors we use, I don't care what we feed those snobby relatives of yours. I just. Don't. Care!" he shouted, throwing his arms in the air. Then he got a look at her stricken face and felt ashamed. "Minako…" he said, reaching out to her. She jerked away, holding her wedding notebook to her chest protectively.

"You know what Akito-kun? I don't want to get married either, okay? You're my best friend, and I love you, but not in the way that calls for marriage. The only reason I'm doing this is because my family wishes it, and it's for the good of the village. It is my duty. I asked you to come with me because this is what engaged couples do. And I thought it would bring us closer somewhat so that it's not weird when we do get married. Every girl dreams of her wedding since she learned what it was, Akito-kun. So excuse me for wanting to still have my dream one." She finished, her tears streaming down her cheeks.

He walked over and pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her in order to comfort her. "I know, I'm sorry. But you know how I am. I don't understand how these things go…and I don't like being controlled. If you want me to stay and help you pick things out then I will." He said softly.

She sniffled and wiped her teary face on his shirt. "It's okay, we've been at his all day. I'll let you go home. I'm sure you have things you'd rather be doing right now, and I need to go discuss what I picked out with my mother." She said, looking up at him.

He gave her a half smile. "Let's go to Ichiraku and get some ramen. Would you like that?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

Her face brightened instantly. "Would I ever! Let's go Akito-kun!" she yelled, grabbing his hand and running out of the store.

After eating dinner with Minako he went home, glad that he had been able to cheer her up. He hated it when girls cried. Not really ones he didn't know, but ones he cared about. And he _had_ been a jerk to her. He went into his kitchen to get a glass of water, and his doorbell rang again. Holding in a groan, he went back to the door and opened it. "Go. Away." He said to the brunette man standing on his doorstep.

"Akito! What are you talking about go away? I came to visit you!" he laughed and forced his way into the Uchiha household. "After all I am your best guy friend and you've been acting really weird lately."

"I've been acting the same as I always do." He said, glaring at his friend and shutting the door.

The brunette crossed his arms and arched a brow. "Have you now?" he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small notepad. He flipped it open and started reading off a list. "You've been wearing a turtleneck in this humid weather. Every time someone says anything about Suna you instantly perk up. You actually have been daydreaming for the first time in your life! And…" he paused, looking very serious. "At least three times _today_ you've had this stupid smile on your face. I've never seen you smile." He closed his note pad then and shoved it back in his pocket. "Oh and you have hickeys covering your neck." He pointed out, being able to see half of one since his turtleneck had slid down a bit. "And I know they aren't from Minako."

He pulled it up quickly. "You can't tell a soul Haru." He said, giving the brunette a threatening look.

Haru went wide eyed and smirked. "Who is it? Tell me, tell me! It better not be Tomoyo cause I've been planning on asking her out for weeks now! And I swear to God if you back stab me man, I will come after you." He pointed his finger in Akito's face.

Akito made a face and leaned away from the offending finger. "Dude, she isn't even my type. She's…someone you've never met before. You wouldn't know her."

"She's a prostitute?" he gasped, going wide eyed.

"Oh God no! Why do you always think the most disgusting things?" the young Uchiha asked, complete disgust on his features now.

"I don't _always_ think of the most disgusting things." He huffed, crossing his arms. "Well if I don't know her and she's not a prostitute." He stopped and thought a bit, going wide eyed once more. "Then she's from another village! Oh, ho ho. Akito you sly dog. Please tell me! I have to know these things! I swear I won't tell a soul!" he begged, leaning on his friend and tugging at his arm. He just had to inherit his need for information from his mother.

"No." Akito said, trying to shove the young Inuzuka off of him. "Nobody must know. If we're found out we could both get in trouble, and I don't want that for her. Plus, if Minako finds out she'll be crushed, and I already had to deal with her tears earlier."

Haru detached from Akito and crossed his arms, "At least tell me which village she's from. Or I'll tell your dad to check under that ridiculous turtleneck of yours."

"If you tell him then I'll tell your dad about the prank you pulled last month. You know, the one people are still trying to figure out?" he countered, crossing his arms as well.

The brunette's jaw dropped, but he quickly recovered, smirking. "My dad won't care about that. He's a prankster just like I am. And besides, even if he did get mad it's not the equivalent of what would happen to you, should your dad find out you're fooling around with some foreign Jounin. Look, you don't have to tell me her name or who she is," he explained. "I just want to know which village she's from."

Akito looked off to the side in a pout. "She's from Suna." He said grudgingly.

Haru tapped his chin, deep in thought. "Is she Jounin level?"

"Of course she is. You know I would never go for some weakling who can't take care of themselves. Now no more questions. I know you'll just try and figure out who it is anyway." He said, knowing his friend's scheming ways. Yet another thing he inherited from his mother.

"Dude it's totally Sabaku no Natsumi!" he shouted victoriously, pumping a fist in the air. "Oh my God! You're fooling around with the Kazekage's daughter! Your dad's _worst_ enemy and you're off floodle-ing around with her like a school boy!" he laughed, smacking his knee with his hand. "Dude, she's a psycho. I've heard things about her and I do mean _things_." He said wiggling his fingers.

"Will you just shut up? I know who she is and how she acts. It's just…I don't know. I feel different when I'm around her. She actually beat me Haru. Nobody has ever landed a hit on me the way she did. And she's not afraid of my sharingan. She…intrigues me. But I suppose you don't know how that feels." He said.

The brunette stared in awe. "You got beat?"

"She figured out how to beat my chidori." He stated, explaining everything in that one sentence.

"Wow…" he scratched his head, "well I guess that makes sense. She is considered one of the most beautiful women in the ninja world."

"She's beautiful alright. Damn sexy even." Then he gave his friend a considering look. "So when are you going to ask Tomoyo out? Because I can't have my best man dateless at my wedding." He said with a half smile, trying to distract Haru and change the subject.

"Well I'm hoping for tomorrow, she's coming by the flower shop to get her mom some flowers. Since you know she got really injured in the last attack on Suna. I'm going to try and do the arrangement myself. I've been practicing with my mom so I can impress her." He smiled proudly and then it fell. "You're still going to marry Minako?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, it was arranged by the Elders and my father and her grandfather, so I see no reason not to. Besides, as it is now, the thing between Natsumi and I is just physical attraction. We barely even know each other. If it gets too serious I'll just call off the wedding." He said.

"So you're going to just get married, to your friend whom you have _no_ physical or deep emotional attachment to. And just throw away the woman who makes you actually feel emotions?" he asked, trying to get a grasp on the situation. "What if she finds out? She's not like girls from Konoha Akito, that much is for sure. You remember how your fan girls kidnapped Minako when they found out you two were engaged? They didn't do anything to her except bitch and you know that's true. The information your team gathered about the Sand siblings is solid. Your floodle buddy is a _psychopath._ She gets pleasure from killing people. If she finds out, she could hunt Minako down and torture her to death!"

"Which is why she won't find out. It's not like we discuss really personal things like that anyways. Besides, she knows I don't see this as an actual relationship type thing." He told him, brushing off the warning.

Haru gave him a skeptical look. He led Akito into the living room and sat him down in a chair. He crossed his arms and took a deep breath. "Did you kiss her?"

"Yes."

"Did you make out with her?"

"Is there a difference between kissing and making out?" Akito scrunched his brow in confusion.

Haru huffed and nodded. "A kiss is just one and it's just a kiss, making out is kissing a lot and judging by your neck, you were making out."

"Ok fine. Yes."

"Did you sleep with her?"

"Yes."

The man tried to control his shock but went on, "Did you see her naked?"

"Yes."

"Dude?" Haru yelled, grabbing his hair. "She totally thinks there is something more between you than what you are saying!"

"Why? It's not like we really did anything, just bathe together and touch…and stuff. We were fully clothed when we went to bed. She's the one who stopped it from going too far." He said, leaning back and crossing his arms.

"It doesn't matter she's a girl! That's what they do, they get attached. You and Minako don't care for each other on a romantic level, yet she's going crazy over her wedding, isn't she?" he scolded.

"Yeah." He said, still confused. "But she said it was because all girls dream about their weddings being perfect."

He sighed and hit his forehead. "Isn't it every girl's dream to be in love as well? With a strong and attractive man who pleases them both mentally and physically?"

"I suppose…"

"No, no suppose. It's true. You better watch yourself Akito, you are playing with some dangerous weapons and you better be careful or you're going to get hurt." He said seriously, deeply concerned for his only good friend.

He sighed. "I will, I promise. Maybe…if we could get Minako to like somebody…enough so that she falls in love with them, then she will call off the wedding." He said. They both looked at each other and shook their heads. "No that wouldn't work. She's too loyal and caring. She wouldn't even look at another man because she'd fear hurting me. I don't deserve a friend like her."

Haru snapped, "No! Tomoyo told me that Minako has been talking about some redhead she fought in Suna. She said he was really nice even though they were enemies and how attractive she thought he was. Besides you don't want to marry her anyways and she knows that."

"I know who that is!" Akito said, sitting forward. "It's Natsumi's older brother Toshiro!" he rubbed his chin. "But how to make her fall for him and he her."

"Well girls are easy to make fall for guys. I mean, the little sand princess fell for you didn't she?" he snickered.

"Duh, who wouldn't. I'm a stud. She fell for me when I was seven and she was six." He bragged. "But I don't know how we'll make him like her. I mean, she's a likeable person, don't get me wrong, but I don't know anything about his personality. I'm not sure how we'll make him agreeable to be around her and not kill her just for his country."

Haru just gave him a look, keeping his arms crossed tightly over his chest. Akito gave him an odd look in return, "What?"

"Oh I don't know Akito, you only have personal access to one of the most dangerous people in the world, who happens to be the closest person to the Kazekage's _only_ son. You don't read many reports do you? Those two are _never_ apart. Now think about it, if _you_ can't talk to him. Than whom do you ask?" he arched a brow.

He stood, his mind whirling with the possibilities. "You're right. I never thought I would ever say this, but you're right. Man, I never gave you enough credit." He complimented, smiling now that he thought about the plan they had just hatched. If Minako could grow attached to Toshiro, then when he broke off their wedding to marry Natsumi she wouldn't be too upset. Well, that is, _if_ he decided he wanted to marry Natsumi. But even if he didn't love her, he liked what she did to him, and he liked being around her. That was a place to start at least.

The man smirked and nodded, agreeing with him. "I keep telling you, I'm a lot smarter than I look. I know how to manipulate." He let his arms fall to his sides then, "Well I think I should get back, since my curiosity has been satisfied. And don't worry your secret mistress is safe with me." He saluted and then made his way out of the house. "See you tomorrow Akito, lunch is on you."

"It always is." He said, smiling slightly.

Once his friend was gone he went back to his room and pulled out a scroll and inkwell. Picking up his brush, he began to write the letter he had promised Natsumi. Growling, he crumbled it and started again. After reading the first line, he crumbled that page and tossed it away. By the time he had written a letter that he found acceptable his room was littered with paper balls. Biting his thumb, he formed a few hand seals and summoned a small hawk. The bird tilted his head questioningly and chirped. "Tsukai, I need you to take this letter to Sabaku no Natsumi. She lives in the Kazekage's mansion and has short pink hair. Wait until she is alone to give her the message. It is imperative that this remain secretive." He said to the bird, placing it on his arm. He walked over to the only window in his room and opened it. "Fly swiftly." He said, raising his arm quickly. The bird took off then, and flew into the night.

Once Tsukai disappeared into the darkness, Akito shut his window and got ready for bed. Sighing, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, a smile on his face as he thought about the next time he would see Natsumi.


	13. Suna

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Thirteen_

-Suna-

"Natsumi-sama!"

"Toshiro-sama!"

"Satomi-sama!"

Three nurses called from three different doorways. One flipped on the lights to the break room. The three sand siblings were passed out on one of the sofas. Toshiro was sitting up with his head back and both twins were using his shoulders for makeshift pillows. The noise shook them from their short dozes and they all sat straight, looking sleepily at the ones who had called their names. "What?" They ground out together.

Natsumi rubbed her eyes and tried to wake herself up some more by slapping her cheeks. Satomi just leaned back over and rested her head on the arm of the sofa. "Natsumi-sama we need you in the burn unit. One of the Jounin came back and some weird acid is eating away at their skin." One of the nurses came in, deciding to override her fear of the siblings and having just woken them.

"I'm coming. I'm coming!" she got up and walked over, grabbing her white lab coat. "Just get me some coffee. I haven't slept in fifty six hours. You just interrupted my 15 minute nap." She growled, sliding it on and leaving the room.

Toshiro got up as well and grabbed his own coat, as did Satomi. "What are we dealing with?" the elder of the siblings asked as he met the one who had called his name, taking the clipboard and looking it over.

"Shattered arm bones, Toshiro-sama. They are like dust." She explained as they disappeared down the hall.

"Satomi-sama, your mother has requested your presence with a heart surgery. It's dire we hurry." She handed the elder twin a chart as they started down the hallway.

"I understand." She interrupted, looking through the papers and seeing what had been handled.

* * *

Satomi and Natsumi leaned back against the wall and slid down to the floor, letting out an exhausted sigh. "I'm so…tired." Natsumi groaned.

"Me too…Mist needs to stop attacking. I'm so exhausted. I can't take much more of these long nights."

"And since Mom can't go days like we can we have to handle it all."

Satomi nodded, sighing again. They were so worn, Mist had been attacking the border for days now and the casualties were piling up. Yet their father would not send them out to deal with it. "Satomi-sama," a Jounin walked down the hospital halls, looking down at the two twins.

"Yeah?" she arched a brow, not bothering to get up if she didn't need to.

"Kazekage-sama needs to speak with you, it's very important and it can only be you." He said, earning another angry sigh from the eldest daughter.

She got up from her spot on the floor and glared at the man, "This better be damn important and I better get to go to bed after this!" she huffed, helping Natsumi up.

"Tell Dad I'm going to take care of the border. Because if I don't get any sleep soon, I'm going to die." She waved the other two off, tossing her lab coat in a chair. Satomi watched her leave and followed the Jounin to her father's office.

* * *

"Great job Natsumi-sama!"

"Good thing you came out and demolished these water punks."

The Suna shinobi cheered, patting the young girl on the shoulder and on the back. "It's about time those Mist idiots were driven away."

Natsumi waved her hands in front of her face, "No need to thank me. You guys really helped, keeping them out of our desert."

They all headed back to Suna, ready for a night of celebrating. Once again they were untouchable and their village was victorious over an attack. Natsumi tended to a few wounds that were simple and she could heal quickly. "Well, have fun tonight everyone! But try not to have too much cause' I really need some sleep." She waved and disappeared in a burst of sand. She appeared in front of her house and smiled at the thought of passing out in her soft bed.

When she walked in, she was met with her mother, already heading out to go back to the hospital. "Hey Mom! Good luck at the hospital. It's the final wave for injuries. I went out there today and we finished the assault. Mist has retreated and I haven't felt anyone come back into the desert."

"You know your father's going to be mad when he finds out you broke your orders." Sakura crossed her arms, tapping her foot as if waiting for an explanation.

"Mom, I was just so tired! I wanted it to be over. I couldn't take another night without sleep so I just…handled it…is that really that bad?"

Sakura stared at her daughter for a bit and then started for the door once more, "I suppose not, I'm tired of these triple shifts. Your father is going to run you three into the ground if he keeps you there all the time." She smiled, placing her hand on her daughter's head and running her hand through her hair. "Good job sweetie, you look like hell so get some sleep. Any surgery cases?"

Natsumi laughed, knowing her physical appearance was no longer at its peak. "Just three, unless more came in from the front. But they will be a breeze for you, you could probably do them in your sleep."

The elder woman smiled and shrugged, "We'll see. Go get some rest. There's some dinner in the fridge if you're hungry." She called over her shoulder as she walked out, closing the door behind her. Natsumi headed into the kitchen and opened the fridge seeing a delicious, cold salad waiting to be eaten.

"Oh yum!" she smiled excitedly, pulling out the large bowl and grabbing some tongs. She scooped some salad into her bowl making sure she got lots of croutons and black olives. She loved everything her mother prepared, she was simply the best. She got out some dressing and placed on the proper amount. When she had finished fixing her meal, she cleaned up and put everything back. After she was done eating, she would pass out in her bed. She grabbed a fork and her bowl and headed up the stair case that split into two, going into the left wing.

She had already started her meal as she walked down the hall, opening her door and closing it once she was inside. Her sand flipped on the switch, revealing her beautiful bedroom with light blue walls. As much of a princess as she was she didn't have much furniture. She had a large king size canopy bed, with white sheer curtains. A vanity, covered with expensive perfumes she hardly ever got to wear. A dresser with a few pictures on it and a desk, neat from all the times it had gone unused. She went over to her bed and sat the bowl on the bedside table. She pulled off her shoes and headed into her walk in closet, grabbing some black shorts and a simple black t-shirt.

She went to the bathroom and showered quickly, getting off all her sweat and the blood from battle. When she was finished she dressed in her new clothes and made her way back to her comfy bed. Just before she could grab her salad and sit down she noticed a small knocking. She looked towards her door, sensing there was no one there and the sound wasn't coming from there. She glanced over at her balcony doors and saw a hawk perched on the ground and tapping the glass with its beak.

She arched her brow and walked over to the door, opening it and looking down at the animal. This was weird, that was when she noticed it had a letter attached to its leg. "Akito!" she gasped, picking the bird up and bringing it back into her room. She let it perch on her bed as she untied the letter and gave the bird a soothing touch. "Thank you." she told it, kissing its head. It looked around, confused by the action but clearly seemed to enjoy it. She crossed her legs, making herself comfortable in her bed and began to unroll the piece of paper, reading its contents as they were revealed to her:

_Natsumi,_

_Here is the letter I promised you. I know it's late, but things were really hectic when I arrived back in the village. I hope its arrival brightened your day somewhat. Yeah._

_The weather here is nice…I suppose…it's gotten really humid though. And while on that subject, thanks to you I've had to wear a stupid turtleneck to cover up the marks you left on my neck. I can understand my completely awesome body just driving you to insanity and you not being able to control yourself, but next time, maybe you could get rid of the ones on my neck. I think I'm getting a rash from the friction and sweat caused by the heat and my training regimen._

_You probably didn't want to know about that, but I'm not really good at writing letters to people unless it's to inform them of some type of news having to do with the war. I told Tsukai to wait for you to reply. It's no problem, and he doesn't mind. He likes meeting new people._

_-Uchiha Akito _

She blinked, rereading the letter to make sure she had read it correctly. He _was_ terrible at writing letters! She actually laughed aloud and looked down at the hawk once more, using her finger to stroke his head. "So your name is Tsukai. Nice to meet you, I'm Natsumi." She giggled, getting a small peep from the bird. She set the letter down and got up, going over to her desk and pulling out some parchment. She searched the drawers, finding an unused paint brush and some new ink. She would make sure her letter was much better than his. He also had taken forever in writing her. She brushed the thoughts aside, knowing she had gotten busy as well right when she got home.

_Akito,_

_If you had asked, I would have healed them. That weirdo came and interrupted us, remember? Next time I promise to get rid of the evidence. Though I'm sure you've gotten a few questioning looks from wearing that turtleneck. But I'm sure you looked very sexy in it. I got home alright, obviously, but I'm running on three days without sleep. Mist attacked the border and I've been at the hospital nonstop. I think I'm going to go crazy if I have to do that again. But it's over, I took care of it myself and everything is ok. _

_I really miss you, a lot. I miss that night I got to spend with you. It beats fighting this war every day. I want to see you…but I know right now that is not possible. Iwa has been making a lot of contact with us over the past few days. It's really upsetting my mother and father. But, and I know I shouldn't be giving you the information, Grass has been acting suspicious and moving towards Konoha. We sent an infiltration unit there and they came back with some plans. They were planning on forming an alliance with Lightning and Whirlpool and attacking Konoha. So be careful._

_I hope I didn't cause too much trouble with giving you all those marks and that that rash isn't too irritating. If you get some aloe and some gingko leaves, mash them into a paste and rub it on the rash that should take care of it. And for your hickeys, at night rub them with ice and lemon juice, it'll make them go down in half the time. I look forward to hearing from you again. And your bird is really cute. _

_Love,_

_Natsumi_

She placed the paint brush down and sighed, reading it once she was finished. She hoped she wouldn't get in too much trouble for giving him such information. But she really did want him to be safe, and if anyone was going to kill him, it would be her. She blew on the paper, so the ink would dry and once it was she folded it up and attached it to Tsukai. "Alright, you ready to go back to Konoha?" she asked the bird, lifting him with her finger and tracing her glowing green digit around his wings. The fly all the way from Konoha must have stiffened his muscles. She walked back over to her balcony and threw the hawk up. Its wings spread, catching the breeze and began his return to his master.

She sighed, closing her doors and locking them. She pulled the sheer curtains over the windows and went back to her bed. She took the letter and folded it, stashing it in one of her drawers. She would find a better hiding space for it later. She finished her salad and set the bowl aside, crawling into her bed and snuggling into the sheets. She was so tired and she was ready to get some sleep. Her sand moved towards the light switch and cut the lights. She fell asleep quickly, smiling, as she dreamed of the next time she would get to see Akito.


	14. Swordplay

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Fourteen_

-Swordplay-

When Tsukai arrived at his window a few days later, Akito couldn't help but be excited. She had gotten his letter and replied, just as she said he would. Did this make them pen pals? Writing buddies? He wasn't sure.

He reached into a drawer and pulled out a mouse, tossing it to the bird that caught it in his mouth. "Good work Tsukai. I will summon you if I need you again." He said as he took off the letter. The bird squawked and bobbed its head before vanishing in a puff of smoke. Akito chuckled. "Yes, she is really pretty."

He unrolled the scroll and read it, the corner of his mouth lifting at its contents. He took off his shirt and went into the kitchen and made a paste for his rash, putting it on after applying ice and lemon juice to the faint red marks. There was a knock on his front door, and reluctantly he went to answer it.

"Hi Akito-kun! Tsunade-baa-chan wants to see us. What is wrong with your neck?" Minako asked, leaning to the side in order to get a better look.

He scoffed. "It's just a rash from those turtlenecks I was wearing."

She laughed, making her face light up. He was glad she had gotten over his little outburst the other day. But then again, Minako was never one to hold a grudge or stay mad for long. "Well of course you got a rash. Who wears turtlenecks in the middle of one of the hottest summers Konoha's ever had?"

"Whatever. You said the Hokage needs to see us correct? Let me get a shirt on." He said, walking back to his room. Minako followed him into the house and waited in the living room. Once he was clothed they left, going straight to the Hokage Tower. When they entered the Hokage's office they were met with Kakashi and Ken.

"Glad you two could make it. Listen up. There's some suspicious activity going on near the border of Leaf and Grass. I need you to head on out there and check it out." the blonde ordered.

Akito spoke up then. "Tsunade, I have heard a rumor through one of my summons that Grass has attempted to form an alliance with Lightning and Whirlpool. They are planning an attack on Leaf as we speak." He said. It wasn't technically a lie or treason, since the letter from Natsumi had been attached to his own summons.

"And this information is reliable?" the blonde asked, raising a brow.

He nodded stiffly. "Of course, my hawks are never wrong."

Tsunade nodded as well. "If that is so, then check it out and eliminate any enemy groups you come into contact with and head back here. Understand?" she asked, looking at the entire team.

"Yes Hokage-sama." They said in unison before leaving, agreeing to meet at the gate in an hour. Akito couldn't help but let a small smile come to his face as he put on his Jounin uniform and strapped his sword to his back. Perhaps he would get to see Natsumi quicker than he thought.

* * *

"Minako." Kakashi said, halting their trek through the trees.

"I see them. There are twelve heading our way from the north." She informed the group, who had halted as well.

"Excellent. That means we each get three!" Ken exclaimed, pumping a fist in the air. Akito just rolled his eyes and activated his sharingan.

"Tactical Maneuver Eleven?" he asked, looking at his teacher. Kakashi nodded. They each split up then, picking a perfect spot to hide. When the group of enemy ninja appeared beneath them, they attacked wordlessly, picking the three they would fight.

Minako took one down on impact, embedding a kunai in his throat. She flipped off him and landed in a defensive stance for the gentle fist, immediately engaging another enemy. Akito killed all of his opponents swiftly and efficiently, finishing before everyone else. It didn't take long for the group of enemy Grass nin to be dealt with, and when it was all over they relaxed. Feeling a familiar source of chakra, Akito stiffened and looked upwards towards the trees, along with the other members of their group.

"Well, well, well." A familiar haughty voice broke the silence. "If it isn't Uchiha Akito, my favorite opponent." Natsumi smirked, landing on a thick tree branch that towered over the area. Toshiro and Satomi landed on either side of her, looking down at the group they had encountered before.

"How boring." Satomi sighed, looking off as if a butterfly were more interesting than this group of ninja. She had on black capris and a tight black t-shirt, her kunai holster strapped to her thigh. Toshiro looked at his sister wearily. He wasn't really in the mood to fight anymore. They had been on their way back from Fang country on an important mission to take out a group of rebel leaders, threatening to form an alliance with Lightning and Mist.

They were all in Jounin outfits, differing only slightly. Toshiro had on some loose black pants that stopped mid shin, along with a black mesh shirt that stopped mid bicep, showing off his well-toned arm muscles, along with his green Jounin vest. "Natsumi please, I would rather not waste time here. I know you have a sick obsession with the Uchiha but now is not the time."

The short pink haired woman held her hand up to silence her brother. "I want to play Toshiro…you know what happens when I don't get to play." She glanced back at him with a wry smile. She had on her knee high ninja shoes, with some short black shorts and a tight black shirt with sleeves that stopped just after her elbows. She her Jounin vest was zipped up, but something caught Akito's eye. There was a hilt showing behind her shoulder and his interest peaked. She was wearing a sword, in a much similar manner that he did. She hadn't been in her Jounin uniform the last time they fought so this was a whole new look for him to see. She set her gloved hands on her hips and looked back down at the group. She smiled dreamily, not even sparing the rest a glance. She had the person she wanted in her sights and she did not intend on leaving until she could press her body against his. "I missed you." she smirked, only to allow her charade to be believable to the group.

"I'm sure you did." He replied, continuing the lie. He glanced at Kakashi. "I get to fight the Princess. I absolutely refuse to get stuck with Ugly this time." He said, making Satomi scoff and focus her glare on him.

"I don't think that's a good idea Akito-kun. You were doing strange things the last time you fought her. Why not let someone else?" Minako asked, causing Ken and Kakashi to nod in agreement.

Natsumi glared hatefully at Minako, already marking to take her down quickly if she were forced to fight her instead of her precious Uchiha. "I agree." Toshiro said, getting everyone's attention.

"Excuse me?" Natsumi asked, giving her brother a threatening look.

He scowled, crossing his arms. "I agree with her. I think it's a bad idea, let's just go. He touches you when you fight. It's inappropriate."

"I'm not a child Toshiro, people can touch me. And it's a fight." She snapped back.

"It's a lot more than a fight if you enjoy it." He pointed out, making her turn a dark red.

"That is exactly my point." Minako agreed, placing her hands on her hips. Akito just crossed his arms and gave her a haughty look.

"Fine Minako. Sine you're so against it, then you can fight her. See how well _that_ goes." He said with a smirk.

She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Finding her voice, she crossed her arms. "I'm not fighting her because, _if_ I have to fight, it will be against Toshiro." She told him, smirking at getting out of his ploy.

"I'm done with all this talk." Natsumi growled, signaling for her siblings to take on their opponents. Satomi sighed, as did Toshiro but complied. Natsumi disappeared, flashing above Akito and giving him a playful smirk as a drop kicked down on his head. "This time you will die."

Satomi jumped down and engaged Kakashi and Ken, keeping them both pretty busy but not gaining the upper hand. Toshiro dissolved into his sand and formed back on the earth just as Satomi sent Ken through a few trees. She chased after him, disappearing from their view and Kakashi followed after. The redhead gave Minako a meaningful look, but took a taijutsu pose.

She sighed and re-activated her byakugan, sliding into a defensive pose yet again. "At least we tried." She said, smiling slightly. It was odd, but she really liked him, more than she should. She barely even knew him, and yet felt that if there was no war and she didn't have to marry Akito, she would have gone for him.

"I say, we take our…'battle' somewhere else. No offense but I would rather not witness that again…and they might actually kill each other this time." He glanced over to his sister and then back to Minako. She was so pretty, it was hard to believe she was actually a ninja.

She glanced over at them and grimaced lightly. Then looked back at the redhead, her grimace turning into a small smile. "There's another clearing a ways to the east. About fifteen kilometers." She said, before disappearing in a purple flash. He dissolved into sand, vanishing along with her.

Natsumi flipped back, avoiding a hit and looked around. When she was absolutely positive no one was near them, she locked gazes with his sharingan and ran at him, gripping his vest and pulling him flush against her, crashing his lips on hers with her forced hand. He brought his hand to the back of her head and tilted it, opening his mouth and running his tongue along her lip in the process. "So demanding." He murmured, nipping her bottom lip before going in for seconds.

"I told you, I missed you." She mumbled against his lips, lifting her hands to his neck and pulling down the tight mesh. She ran her fingers along the lingering marks healing them quickly, "There." She whispered with a small laugh.

"Hm." Was all he said as he brought his hands down to her rear. He gripped it and pulled her to him, fully pressing their lower regions together. "Tsukai thinks you're pretty by the way. Told me so before he went home."

"I think he's pretty." She snickered, resting her head on his chest and enjoying their contact. There was a loud yell and both pulled out a kunai. Natsumi pressed hers against his throat and Akito held his to the back of her neck. Kakashi flew in through a gap in the trees, sliding on the ground. Satomi jumped over the bushes, stopping when she saw the two. Kakashi glanced up from his spot on the ground, examining them as well.

"Have you two even moved?" he arched a confused brow.

"Of course we have Sensei. After initially trying taijutsu we are now at an impasse in the fight." Akito said swiftly, covering up what they had just been doing.

Satomi grabbed Kakashi by the vest and pulled him up, forming her hand into a fist, and sending the silver haired man back off. She started after him but stopped and looked back at the two. "Think about your actions Uchiha." She snapped, disappearing then. Natsumi looked back up at him, leaning up on her tip toes, kissing him deeply.

"I don't think your sister likes me." He mumbled into her lips, starting a trail of kisses across her jaw and to her ear. When he reached the lobe he nipped it lightly. "But I don't like her either." He continued, licking the shell of her ear.

She giggled, a bit tickled from his actions. "Good, I don't want you to like her. I should be the center of your universe." She breathed out, arching her body into his.

He pulled away and smiled down at her. Kissing her once more, he stepped back until he was five feet away from her and out of her alluring grasp. "I suppose we should get this thing started." He said, reaching behind him and grasping the hilt of his sword. "Tell me squirt, are you as good with weapons as you are with taijutsu?" he asked with a smirk, drawing his father's old katana.

She watched him warily, frowning from displeasure. She wanted to play with him more, before actually having to fight him. But he was right. If they didn't start soon, it would look very suspicious. She tossed her kunai aside, embedding it in a nearby tree. "I excel in all forms of fighting." She said simply, keeping her gaze locked on his sword. "But…I have a proposition. If I win, I get to kidnap you. Deal?" she arched a delicate pink brow, trying to keep the devious look off her face.

"And if I win? What do I get?" he asked.

"Shouldn't _you_ decide what you get if you win?" she huffed, setting her hands on her hips.

He smirked. "Well it was your proposal, so I thought you had something in mind. But, if I win, then I want you at my complete mercy for a week. Then I'll let you return home to your family. How does that sound?"

She laughed and straightened up, "What are you going to do? Dress me up in a little maid outfit and make me clean your _valuables_? But fine, I accept." She lowered down, one of her hands raising a bit.

"Alright then." He twisted his sword in his hand and then charged at her, she should have drawn a weapon by now anyways. He went in for a slash, which she avoided easily, but then in mid-swing changed the direction and swung right for her face. She spun around, reaching behind her and grabbing the red hilt of her sword and pulled it up, successfully blocking his swing. She pulled it out fully and twisted to face him once more, clashing metal against metal. They leaned forward, their noses touching as they struggled for dominance with their blades.

"Impressed?" she asked sweetly, giving him a chaste peck.

"Marginally." He smirked. "We've just begun after all." He replied.

She sighed, "Now you're making me mad. If I get carried away and kill you, I win nothing." She pouted, sliding back and taking a new position. She lowered her sword and then ran at him, picking up speed as she started to disappear and the reappear in certain places. She swung up, down, and side to side, always being countered with the loud clash of metal.

When their swords locked together and their faces were close once more he leaned down and kissed her. "I apologize, but usually when I fight someone with my sword it is over quickly. I didn't want to get my hopes up. Although, you are a lot better than I expected. Your form could use a bit of work, but we can work on that at a later date." He leaned down and smirked. "It will be a very hands on experience."

Had he just insulted her form? Saying she was bad at something? Or at least not perfect. Then she thought it odd that she didn't care. Especially if he wanted to give her 'private lessons'. She most certainly would accept his teachings. Since they were in close proximity, she let go of the hilt with one of her hands, grabbing onto his and twisting it a bit. His blade swung down, just barely missing her leg and with her free hand she stabbed forward, only able to graze his cheek due to his quick reflexes.

After leaping backwards, Akito brought up his thumb and wiped away the small trail of blood on his cheek. After glancing at it, he looked back up at Natsumi and licked the blood off his finger. "Sneaky. I wasn't even going all out." He said before disappearing, only to reappear long enough to attack her. She was able to counter him, but just barely. It was clear that he was putting more effort into their fight now, and it angered her a bit that he hadn't been initially. When they broke once more Akito gave her a considering look, tilting his head to the side a bit.

"What?" she asked.

"I don't even think your brother and Minako are fighting. There is no rise and fall of chakra coming from the direction they went in, nor can I hear anything." He pointed out.

"How about you stop focusing on my brother and your stupid friend and take me seriously." she seethed, glaring at him. Now he was at leisure to pay attention to other people? He was really starting to piss her off and that was never a good thing. If she lost her focus on fighting and it switched to winning, she might kill him. And she really didn't want that, even as bad as she wanted to win. She disappeared, following after him, the playful look on her face gone. When she landed in front of him and engaged him once more, he stared to glance down at the blade's feeling a difference in the weight. She smirked when he finally realized her sand was what he was trying to cut through. The sand wrapped around the blade and forced it from his hand as she thrust forward.

He jumped beck, narrowly avoiding the lethal hit. Her sand dropped his sword in her hand and she pointed both at him as she lowered into a different stance. "I should be the _only_ one you focus on."

"I was merely making an observation. No need to get snippy." He said, now pissed that someone other than himself or his father was touching his sword. But, since she was using her sand, then he would use his lightning. Stretching out his arm, he took a deep breath and directed his chakra to his right hand. The sound similar to the chidori could be heard, but instead of forming the chidori, a sword formed, made entirely of lightning.

He ran at her, the lightning from his sword making her sand turn to glass when their weapons make impact. She twisted around him, making sure that she stayed out of his reach. She did not want to feel lightning coursing through her body. She pressed her back against his, moving as he did so he could not hit her with the bright sword. She tossed both swords up and caught them so the blades were facing her back and crossed them in attempt to run him through. She grimaced when she felt nothing there. She twisted the hilts in her hands and faced them right as she saw him in front of her. She threw his sword at him, letting it spin through the air and embed into the tree behind him. "Try and kill me Uchiha. If you can." She said seriously, a frown etched into her features. Normally she would have had a smile trying to form but she looked pissed and annoyed.

He pulled his sword out of the tree, sending the lightning into the blade instead of forming one. He would be able to conserve charka better that way. "I already told you, I would regret killing you. But you are welcome to try and kill me." He replied, raising his sword so that he was ready for her next attack.

The corner of her mouth twitched, forming a sadistic smile. "Sounds like an excuse because you can't kill me." She smirked, taking off towards him. Her free hand moved a bit and a huge wave of sand surged at him from the side.

He glared at her, vanishing in a puff of smoke when the sand hit his clone. A set of kunai were thrown at her from behind, but she blocked them with her sand. While she was distracted with that Akito made his move. He came at her from her left, slashing downwards. When she dodged, as he knew she would, he quickly formed a lightning sword in his other hand. He barely grazed her head, jumping away before she could retaliate. When he landed he took one look at her and began to laugh. Apparently the electricity from his sword had sent static into her hair, causing it to stand on end.

"YOU BASTARD!" she screeched, growing red with fury as she tried to fix her hair with her free hand. She disappeared, faster than she had ever moved before and actually caught him off guard. Her foot slammed into his chest and sent him through the trees, crashing into a far of bush. She took off after him, already aiming for her next attack.

* * *

Minako pulled some grass out of the field she and Toshiro were sitting in and looked up to the sky. She sighed in contentment. "I wonder if they are actually fighting." She mused, looking over at the redhead.

"Probably not." Toshiro sighed. He was leaning back on his elbows. It was actually nice to relax after a long mission and grass always felt so soft to him, since they didn't have an abundance of it in Suna. "I wouldn't be surprised if we went back and saw them making out. It's just disgusting the looks they give each other. You'd think the line between enemy and ally was well enough defined."

"I know. It's just ridiculous." She agreed, then looked at the spot where she was pulling up grass. She grew quiet as she thought about what Toshiro had said. Already Akito had done things with Natsumi that Minako knew he would never do with her. He would never willingly touch her that way, or even kiss her. She wasn't even sure how he was going to go about kissing her to seal their marriage. And she didn't blame him, it just hurt that she knew her marriage was going to be a sham, built on duty instead of love. She had always dreamt of marrying for love, like her parents did, but knew it was a luxury she wouldn't be given.

He glanced over at her, having inherited his father's instinctual ways of knowing when something was on someone's mind. "Are you alright? I don't really know you, so I am unsure if your silence in normal or not."

She looked up, slightly startled that he had picked up on her mood. She smiled slightly. "I'm never this quiet, trust me." Her smile fell as she debated whether or not to tell him her troubles. It wouldn't hurt anything really, and he was so nice. Way different from Akito. "I'm being forced to marry someone I could never love as anything more than a friend, all because the Elders want to combine our bloodlines. That way they can use any children we might have in the war effort." She said eventually.

"So you're engaged to the man my sister has been fixated on since she was six." He stated simply, giving her a sympathetic look.

"Pretty much yeah. I care about Akito-kun, but he's not someone I would want to marry. It would be like you having to marry one of your sisters. Sure they look nice on the outside and all, but the thought is just completely unappealing." She explained, wanting him to better understand where she was coming from.

He stared at her oddly. "They look nice on the outside? Are we talking about the same two people?"

"You know, they are physically attractive, so most people don't see why there would be a problem in marrying them. It's who they are and what's on the inside that are unappealing."

"So…you are saying my sisters are unappealing?" he arched a brow, trying to fight the smirk off his face. He was curious to see how she would get out of the word trap he had set for her.

Her eyes widened as she realized she may have insulted him without thinking about it. "No! That's not what I meant at all! I'm sure they're nice people…um…from what I remember they were okay…I mean they were nice! Oh crap." She smacked her temple, leaving her head in her hand. She really sounded like a complete idiot, and had only made it worse in trying to fix her mistake.

He just smiled at her. "It's ok, trust me. They are not ok…or nice…I'm not offended. I know Natsumi can be very, very nice. She loves more than anyone I know, and she's the strongest ninja I have ever seen, but she's got a lot of…problems. Satomi's just mean but she really cares about her patients. You just happen to be on the wrong side of the spectrum for her. But they're both pretty awful." He actually laughed, not realizing how relaxed he had become in this girl's presence.

She smiled, enjoying the sound of his laughter. "What is Suna like? My father has told me about it from when he was younger, but its different hearing about a place from an outsider and someone who actually lives there."

He shrugged, "You wouldn't like it. People from Konoha are used to green and lots of pretty colors from the flowers. There's only one color in Suna and its tan. It's in the middle of the desert after all…but I love it. I've never lived anywhere else. I have an abundance of sand to control and it's warm all the time. And you can always see the moon." He smiled, just thinking about his home made him wish he was there.

"It's too bright in Konoha to see the moon sometimes. And I don't know…I always thought the desert to be beautiful in its own way. Full of mysteries and secrets waiting to be discovered." A light blush dusted her cheeks and she smiled shyly. "But that's just my childhood imaginings talking."

"I suppose, but you've seen Suna. It looks more threatening than Konoha does." He sighed, sitting erect and looking over towards the speeding chakras. "Where are they going?"

She activated her byakugan and her eyes widening. She jumped to her feet then. "They're headed straight for a neutral village! And boy, do they both look angry." She said.

Toshiro stood quickly, a bit surprised by the turn of events. "I'm actually shocked. I honestly did not see them actually trying to kill each other." He sighed and dusted his clothes. "Should we follow?"

Minako didn't really want to leave the peaceful clearing, and she certainly didn't want to stop talking with Toshiro. But her conscience got the best of her. "Probably. I don't want any unnecessary deaths just because they can't control their anger." She said.

He nodded, starting after the two with Minako by his side. "I wonder what got them so riled up."

* * *

Natsumi slid to a stop as Akito came down, meeting her sword with his as they yet again began their deadly dance. People were running and screaming from the site, trying to find safety in their homes or stores nearby. "I can't believe you!" she shouted, getting in his face as their swords clashed together once more and they were again at a standstill.

"I can't believe you, you little priss. It was just static!"

"You don't ever mess with a girl's hair!" she yelled in his face, fury all over both their facades, as their noses pressed against one another.

"It's not like I made it stand up on purpose. Had you just let me cut your head off, we wouldn't be facing this problem!" he yelled back, adding more strength behind his blade.

She gripped her hilt with both hands to steady the new power he was putting forth. "Well _sorry_ I'm better than you and I didn't want to die." She snapped back, kicking her knee up and slamming it into his stomach. He grimaced, moving back and placing a hand over his stomach. She had actually knocked the wind from him, but as she came after him with another attack, he easily blocked it and followed through with his own. They ran throughout the entire village, using tables and lanterns to try and inhibit the other.

"Not even in your dreams would you be better than me squirt." He taunted. Then he added lightning to his blade. "Better be careful. We wouldn't want your pretty hair to get ruined again." He said, moving in for an attack.

"You seem to be forgetting that I won last time." She spat out angrily, moving her hand and letting her sand slide beneath his feet. It shot up to attack him, which successfully got him off his run at her. She really didn't like that lightning. Akito jumped up, bounding off a building and surging towards her. She went wide eyed and gripped her hilt with both hands, just barely blocking the stab at her. She could feel the vibrations from the lightning through the metal and was thankful for the cloth that wrapped around her hilt.

She jumped back and started to run, already feeling him follow. It annoyed her that he actually _was_ better than her with a sword, but it was something that she would never admit aloud. "But this time I don't have other people to protect." His voice said in her ear. But when she turned to look he was gone, suddenly appearing in front of her.

She slammed into him, unable to stop from how fast she was going. They sailed forward, both dropping their weapons from the painful impact they made with the ground over and over again. Finally their bounce from the inertia stopped and Akito fell flat on his back with Natsumi over him, both groaning in agony.

"Ow…" she mumbled, already feeling the bruises begin to form.

"I…didn't really think that one through." Akito admitted, wincing slightly. "Sorry." His head really hurt.

"No you didn't genius." She got out, staying put on his chest. It relaxed her and brought back memories of that wonderful night. She felt herself smile and then was thrown off him and onto her back. She gasped out, having the wind knocked from her and then stared up in horror at the tip of his sword, now at her throat.

"Don't let your guard down." He said, smirking so that she knew he wasn't really going to kill her.

She watched him carefully, seeing his stance and noting he was not going to move in for the kill. Something she already would have done. But before she could say anything sand slammed into Akito and sent him off and back to the ground. "Get away from my sister!" Toshiro yelled angrily, pulling his fist back and slamming it into the Uchiha's stomach just as he was getting up and recovering.

Natsumi pushed herself up from the ground quickly, "NO! Toshiro stop!" she screamed, but it was already too late. Akito flew off, through the other gate of the village, due to the blunt force from the redhead's inhuman strength. He followed after Akito, making Natsumi yell out in rage. She ran back, grabbing her sword and sheathing it quickly. It was then that Satomi, Ken, and Kakashi came running through the crowd and joining Minako.

The short pink haired woman took off after her brother and Akito, Satomi watched in confusion. "What's going on?" she asked.

"Akito-kun had his sword at Natsumi-chan's throat, so Toshiro is trying to kill Akito-kun, and Natsumi-chan is trying to stop him." Minako summed up.

"Why would she try and stop him…" Satomi asked, her normal emotionless face falling into a frown instantly. "Ugh. She's so selfish, always wanting the kills for herself." She sighed, taking off after them, leaving Minako with a look of disbelief. Kakashi just sighed and crept off, not wanting to deal with this.

"I'll just be hanging out in this village, come find me when you are ready to leave." He waved, walking off into the crowd then.

Deciding that she didn't want to be left alone with her strange teammate, Minako flash stepped to where everyone was, taking in the scene before her. For some reason, part of her felt that it wasn't because Natsumi wanted to kill Akito herself, it was because she wanted him to live.

* * *

Akito lay on the forest floor in pain, he couldn't take much more of this battering. His collision with Natsumi had left him disoriented and the hit he had received from the eldest didn't help at all. He could tell some of his ribs were broken and it hurt to move. Toshiro dropped down from the trees and glared at the Uchiha. "I will bring your head back as a gift for my father." He clenched his fist and just as he was about to deliver another blow Natsumi tackled her brother to the ground. She shoved him off, hurriedly crawling over to Akito and healing his chest and ribs. "Are you ok?" she whispered worriedly. Toshiro was up by now and grabbed Natsumi by the back of her vest. He turned around and threw her off, making her crash through a tree.

"What the _hell_ do you think you're doing?" he demanded, looking angrier than ever.

By now Akito was on his feet, his ribs still hurt but it was a dull throb compared to what they had felt like moments ago. Using his speed he was next to Natsumi in an instant, helping her to her feet. "She was healing me you idiot. That much should have been obvious." Then he looked at her, wanting to make sure she was okay. She swayed a bit, woozy from the crash. There was blood trailing down the side of her neck from her head. Another sand wall formed between them, forcing Akito off. Toshiro disappeared in his sand and formed slowly, catching Natsumi before she fell over.

Toshio placed his hand on the back of her head and allowed his chakra to heal her. "I know that." He glared over at Akito and then returned his gaze to his sister who was at least steady now. "Natsumi what are you thinking, do you want to be the one to kill him that badly?"

She glanced up at him and then over at Akito, a look of relief in her eyes that he was ok. "Of course." She lied, keeping her gaze on her beloved dark haired Uchiha. "He's mine." Akito smirked at her and nodded, knowing that she was lying.

Minako appeared then, and headed straight for Akito. "Akito-kun, are you alright?" she asked, reaching up and tilting his head in order to get a look. He jerked away from her, glaring lightly.

"I'm fine Minako. I can take a hit." He said a bit harshly.

Hurt entered her eyes and she stepped away from him, lowering her arms. "Okay." she said softly. Satomi and Ken pushed through the brush, Ken telling the pink haired woman something about youth.

"There you guys are." She growled out, taking in the scene.

Natsumi waved her hands in the air. "Alright already, let's make nice and just call a truce for now, cause' I don't feel like fighting anymore." She smiled and walked towards Minako and Akito. Minako took a step forward, intercepting the woman's advance on Akito.

"Yes, I agree." She smiled, hiding her true intentions of keeping Natsumi away from Akito.

Natsumi looked at her curiously and then past her to see Akito. Her jade eyes returned to Minako and she sighed, offering her hand out in a truce. Minako outstretched her hand, but before they could make contact a weighted net shot forward and wrapped around the two, slamming them together painfully.

"Natsumi!" both Toshiro and Akito yelled out, rushing towards the two. Just as they were about to reach down for them another net wrapped around Akito and pushed him against the redhead, binding them together. They both groaned when they hit the ground, their cheeks pressed together.

"This…is awkward." Toshiro said quietly.

Satomi looked behind her when she felt Ken crash against her and then a net wrapped tightly around them. "Fantastic." She seethed, glaring at the earth her face was now pressed against. A group of men walked out from the trees, laughing and talking about their catch since they recognized most of the group. When they grabbed the net holding Toshiro and Akito both men yelled out in surprised, fully realizing now that their hands were pressed against the other's pelvises. "Oh my God!" Toshiro shouted, glaring at Akito the best he could. "Get your hands off the family jewels!"

"Like I can move my hands in this position. Besides, you're touching mine, so get over yourself you prude. I don't like it either." Akito glared back, looking around to see if he could figure a way out of this mess. He looked over to where Natsumi and Minako were and noted that everyone was pretty much in the same predicament. What he wouldn't give to be sharing the net with Natsumi right now.

The men carried them off for awhile, allowing the group to discover that they weren't ordinary nets. They blocked their chakra and felt as if they were actually draining the substance. When they reached the camp they were all tied to three large posts, embedded deep into the ground. Ken was tied to the same one as Minako, facing out towards the forest. Toshiro and Akito were tied to the center pole, Toshiro facing Minako and Akito facing Natsumi who was tied with Satomi to the third one. They were only two feet away from one another, but Natsumi was glad she got to see Akito. Once they were secured with rope made from the same substance of the net, they were left alone while the group started dinner around their fire.

Natsumi sighed and looked back at Akito. "I'm sorry for getting so upset earlier." She pressed her leg against his, wanting to comfort him in any way she could.

He shifted his leg so that it rubbed against hers. "I shouldn't have teased you. You just look so cute when you're riled up." He said with a smirk. Then he became serious. "I took things too far and I shouldn't have. I was going to kill you, you know. Before we fell. And…I meant it when I said I was sorry. For everything." He said meaningfully.

"I know," she smiled sweetly, glad they could make up. She didn't want there to be anything bad between them. "We both just got a little carried away. But don't worry, I'll get us out of here." She folded one of her legs beneath her, moving painfully to try and pull a small knife hidden in her shoe. Once she had it, she started filing away at the rope. It would take a while but at least she had a plan. "I didn't mean to hurt you if I did…" she blushed and then looked off to the side. "You were very good with that sword…much better than I was."

"My father taught me how to use kunai and a sword at a very young age. And if I didn't get any of my drills right I had to start over until I got them correct. I meant what I said when I offered to teach you. That is, if you want to learn. You're already really good at it, so it shouldn't take long, since my guess is you're a fast learner." He told her.

She smiled knowingly, "You pick up quickly. But of course, I am one for hands on teaching, just like you offered." Her smile slowly turned to a smirk.

"In that case, I'll make sure to teach you thoroughly." He smirked back, rubbing her leg suggestively.

Minako, who could see Natsumi just barely, grew puzzled. Why was she making that face? And why did she move her leg every once in a while, as if she were touching Akito? If only she had enough chakra to use her byakugan she could see what Akito was doing in return. Although, judging by Natsumi's actions he wasn't as reluctant of her ministrations as he had been at her own. This hurt her deeply, since she had cared about him as a friend. She rested her head against the pole she was tied to and let out a sigh. "I think they're doing weird things again." She said to Toshiro.

"Again?" he sighed, trying to look around the large pole. But he could hardly hear the hushed conversation between the two. The logs were at least three feet thick. "It was weird…Natsumi started healing him."

Minako's eyes widened. "What? I mean, I knew she liked killing and had some weird vendetta with Akito-kun, but has she ever gone that far so that she could deliver the final blow?" she asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.

Toshiro pressed his lips together, his brow scrunching in confusion. "I don't think it was because she wanted the final blow…" he trailed off.

She cocked her head to the side. "Do you think this has to do with the obsession you said she has had with him since she was six?"

"For twelve years she thought she was going to marry him." He pointed out, letting out another concerned sigh. "She said that he was her pre-fiancé."

"What on earth is a pre-fiancé?" she asked. "Wouldn't that just be like a boyfriend or something?"

"I don't know. Boy meets girl. She likes him, he likes her. He says when she turns eighteen they can get married and somehow pre-fiancé came out of that." He explained, having heard the story many times from his sister.

"Oh. Akito-kun never really talked about meeting Natsumi-chan, so I didn't get to hear that part of the story. All I knew was that she was lost and ate lunch at his house, and Sasuke-sama didn't like her. Although, he doesn't like a lot of people so it's not really surprising." She said with a shrug.

"Probably didn't like her cause' she looks just like my mom." He said simply. Minako turned her gaze from him to Natsumi whose ropes fell limp. She stood and hid her knife away once more, but just before Minako could tell Toshiro, Natsumi leaned down to Akito and started with his ropes. That was odd, considering the fact that you would think she would release her siblings first.

"Guess this means we're free." She observed. "Your sister had a hidden weapon and is cutting Akito-kun's ropes as we speak."

"She's letting him out first?" Toshiro blinked and tried to get a good look around the log. Minako looked back over to the two and saw Natsumi take Akito's hands and help him up. Minako went wide eyed when she saw Akito's hand then rest on the pink haired woman's lower back. The contact didn't last too long to be overly suspicious to the average viewer, but the fact that he had willingly touched another person was enough for her to suspect that their weird relationship wasn't one sided.

"Yeah, he's out." She said. Akito walked over and squatted next to her, cutting her ropes with his own kunai while Natsumi freed her sister.

"Once everyone is free, Natsumi and I decided we should work together to get out of here, since each of us has less chakra than we are used to." He told her, also directing his information towards Toshiro.

"Well, since you and Natsumi-chan are such good friends, you can go ahead and lead the way." Minako murmured, glaring slightly.

"What?" he asked as he cut through the last binding.

She looked away and stood. "Nothing."

Natsumi came back over looking up at Akito as he straightened out. "You ready to go get our swords back?" she asked kindly.

Satomi freed Toshiro and the redhead felt inclined to free the odd man who was shouting nothing but proclamations of youth. Akito nodded. "My father gave me that sword, and I'm not leaving here without it." He said, activating his sharingan. Then he looked over at Minako, who activated her own kekkei genkai wordlessly. She looked around the campsite and then back at Akito and Natsumi.

"Your swords are inside the large tent in the center. There's only one guard, and he doesn't have a large amount of chakra, so it should be a piece of cake." She said.

Natsumi smirked, setting her hands on her hips. "Even if he had a lot of chakra it would be easy, considering who's going to be taking him down. Right?" she tore her haughty gaze from Minako and met Akito's sharingan.

Toshiro just sighed, he wanted to leave. "Just hurry up alright?"

Akito nodded and headed for the tent Minako had pointed out, Natsumi following close behind. Minako just let out a sigh and began to walk in the opposite direction. "We should probably head back to that village. We'll need to get a few more supplies before heading back to Leaf, and Kakashi-sensei is waiting for us." She said. Ken nodded in agreement.

"I shall race you there Minako-chan! Youth does not wait for the slow!" he declared, running off into the woods.

She let out a sigh and looked over at Toshiro, smiling slightly. "You and Satomi-chan are welcome to come with us. I doubt you two want to wait around for them."

"Right behind you," they two said in unison, walking with Minako back towards the town.

Akito stuck his head in the tent and looked around, locating the guard quickly. Before he knew what hit him, the young Uchiha reached up and snapped his neck, causing the man to fall to the ground wordlessly. He looked back at Natsumi. "Help me find the swords." He said, looking for his prized possession. The tent was full of weapons and the like, but Akito doubted that he would have to look hard.

She nodded and began to search around the tent. She leaned over digging through a pile and trying to be careful yet fast. "Ow." She cursed softly, jerking her hand up and sucking on her index finger. "Damn these idiots, don't they know how to properly store weapons?" She looked at her finger then, still seeing the blood clot. She reached down again and pulled up both their swords. "Well I found them."

He walked over to her, and instead of taking his sword from her he lifted her injured finger. After examining it, he locked gazes with her and licked her cut with his tongue, smirking slightly at her reaction. She stared wide eyed at him and then leaned forward, pulling her finger back and kissing him softly. "How am I supposed to be able to kill you if you keep making me have butterflies?" she mumbled against his lips, pulling away and staring up at him.

"I guess you'll either have to not kill me, or come up with a way to stop reacting to my touch." He said, pulling her against him suddenly and kissing her passionately. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back with as much as she could muster.

"I guess you'll just have to live then, because I don't think I'll ever be able to not react." She kissed him once more and then again, not wanting to leave the confines of the tent. But the others were waiting. She offered him his sword and placed hers on her back. She took his hand then and pulled him out of the tent once his was secure as well. They started through the forest, taking their time in reaching the town. Her grip on his hand tightened and she leaned against him. "I'm so glad I got to see you."

"I am as well." He replied, smiling down at her as they made their way towards the town.

Unfortunately their time together didn't last long and before they entered the bustling village, they shared one more kiss. "I'll miss you." she whispered, pressing her forehead against his, holding his face in her hands.

"I will write you again. I promise." He said, rubbing his nose against hers.

"I look forward to it." she smiled, running her thumb over his lips before kissing him one last time. They pulled away then, heading into the village to find their teammates. It would be a long while before they got to see each other again. But so was the art of war.


	15. Letters

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Fifteen_

-Letters-

_Dear Natsumi,_

_I've never been one for petty sentiments or the like, so I do not know what it is to miss someone. Even when I was a boy and my father left on month long missions I did not long for his presence. But I think about you all the time. I could be on my way to the hot springs with my best friend, and suddenly I will remember you in Waterfall and how beautiful you looked naked. Or I will be walking down the street and pass the ice cream vendor, and I will recall how you mentioned you have salty ice cream in Suna, whereas we have sweet. So, if thinking about you all the time means that I miss you, then I do. _

_Oh, and I heard a rumor that a small group from sound is headed your way. Be careful. They can emit damaging sound waves, so even if their hits don't connect you could still get hurt. Not that I don't know you won't get hit, but no one but me is allowed to kill you._

_And…I also heard that your birthday is coming up soon…so if you want something you should tell me. _

_Sincerely,_

_Akito_

Natsumi blinked, staring at the paper. "How does he know my birthday is coming up?" She wondered, running her fingers down the birds back as it nested in her crossed legs. She read it over once more, feeling her smile return. So he missed her? The news made her happy. It had been a little over two months now since she had seen Akito. Their only contact had been through their letters and she had saved every single one. She moved slightly, making Tsukai ruffle his feathers and hop up. She left him on her bed and kneeled down, reaching under her bed and grabbing a box hidden up in the box spring. She slipped the letter into her collection, now consisting of thirteen.

She walked over to her desk and pulled out some of her custom paper. She had had it ordered just for her letters to Akito. She even had it sprayed with the perfume she wore in hopes that it would remind him of her even more. She took out a brush and started her letter. When she finished she blew on it to make sure it was dry and folded it neatly. She hurried over to the bird and attached it to his leg, giving him a sweet kiss on the head. "Be sure to deliver that too," she giggled, picking Tsukai up and heading towards her open balcony.

"Fly swiftly and safely." She said, tossing her hand up to give him a good throw. His wings spread and he flew off towards Konoha and back to his master.

* * *

Akito heard a small tap on his window and immediately jumped out of bed. He didn't care if it was in the middle of the night, he had waited for the next letter, excited at the prospect of hearing from Natsumi. He opened the window and let in Tsukai. The small bird flapped his wings and landed on his shoulder. Then he nipped his master's cheek lightly and squawked at the questioning look he got.

"Oh really? Interesting." He said, turning and taking the letter off the bird's leg.

_Dear Akito,_

_When you said you missed me, my stomach flipped and I felt like a little girl again. I remember when I met you for the first time, when you found me in that park. You always seem to find me, just like in the hot springs. When I think about it now, the only times in my life where I have been truly happy were when I was with you. It's like I can actually be human with you, you treat me like I'm something so delicate that you could break. And in reality when I am with you, I feel so fragile, hanging on your words like they are my life._

_I will look into this Sound business and assure you once I have dealt with them that I am safe and no harm done. I promise you, that if I ever were to die it would be by your hand, or your sword, in whichever scenario we find ourselves._

_I am a little curious as to how you knew my birthday was approaching. Have you been stalking me? If you have, I'm going to be mad at you since you haven't come and visited me. But, anyways, you already know what I want from you if it's possible. Seeing you is always the greatest gift. I've been pretty busy with missions and assassinations. I'm actually going to have to leave soon to go take care of a man who is relaying messages between Lightning and Mist. _

_It shouldn't be too hard and I'll be back soon. I really love Tsukai and he really seems to like salty ice cream. I gave him some of mine and he was so happy. I wish I could teach you how to make it so you could make him some. But other than that Suna is pretty uneventful. My life really just consists of killing and waiting for your letters. So don't hesitate to send me one in return. It really does make my day._

_Well, I suppose this I enough and you're probably laughing at me because I write like I talk, babbling on about useless things. I hope you're alright and Konoha is safe._

_Love _

_Natsumi_

Akito smiled. He absentmindedly scratched Tsukai on his head as he walked over to his desk. He took out some parchment and a brush and immediately began answering her letter.

_Dear Natsumi,_

_I enjoy the fact that you write the way you talk. It is refreshing. And no, I'm not stalking you. I simply recalled how when we met again two months ago you had said that you'd been eighteen for nine months. Well, now it has been eleven months, so obviously your birthday is coming up again._

_I will try and see you, but with the attacks on our eastern border, it isn't very likely. I've been traveling back and forth between the border and the village for days now, and have just been given a day of rest._

_The kiss you had Tsukai give me made me smile, although I would prefer it if it was actually your lips on my skin than his beak. But don't tell him that, he's sensitive._

_Does it bother you that my letters are short? I've been looking back at the letters you've sent me, and noticed that you write a lot more than I do. I can try to write more, but I'm a man of few words as Minako puts it, and I can't really think of anything else to write in order to make mine longer. I doubt you want to hear about how my training went and such, and the border situation is classified, so I can't really say more on the matter._

_I look forward to your next letter as always. And I miss you._

_Sincerely,_

_Akito_

_P.S.-You are delicate, like a flower. A rose I suppose, since you look sweet, beautiful and innocent on the outside, but surprise people with your thorns. That is how I think of you anyways. And since I will be unable to come see you, I hope this small token is good enough for a present._

After reading through his letter he folded it up and attached it to Tsukai's leg. Then he took off the glove on his right hand and slid off the ring he wore on his middle finger. It was a simple white gold band, and the center had the Uchiha crest embedded in it using a ruby and a diamond. It was something that used to belong to his Uncle Itachi, or so his father had told him when he found it in a box in the basement. Threading a string through it he fastened it around the hawk's neck. Picking up the small bird, he stroked his chest.

"I know you're probably tired of this, but you can rest once you return. And I promise I will have a treat for you." He said. The hawk bobbed his head in agreement, and flew off towards Suna, using a route he could take in his sleep now. Once the hawk was out of sight, Akito opened up a secret compartment in his floorboards underneath his bed. Pulling out an old shoebox that he had kept his childhood treasures is, he added Natsumi's latest letter to the stack he already had from her. After putting everything back in place he went to sleep. He would need as much rest as possible before heading back to the border.

* * *

Natsumi walked into her room, blood splattered on her face from the attack. Just as Akito had said, Sound had tried to attack. She found it suspicious that no one questioned her sudden 'inquires' about when they would be attacked. She went into her bathroom and grabbed a towel and turned on the shower. After she got in and washed away the evidence of her battle, she dried and changed into some short black shorts and a tight black tank top. She came out, towel drying her hair and catching a movement through her window.

She tossed the towel aside and opened her balcony doors, seeing Tsukai perched on the edge, cleaning his feathers. She bubbled with joy, rushing out to him and taking him in carefully. "Hello there Tsukai." She nuzzled him lovingly and sat down on her plush bed, allowing him the simple pleasure he loved. Without any hesitation she fumbled with the note and pulled it off, along with the ring tied around the bird's neck. She stared at the ring, turning it in her fingers and seeing the Uchiha crest. Her heart literally stopped. If she wore this, she would be a traitor. It was one thing to flirt around with the enemy but this…she stopped the train of thought and set the ring down on her bed. She opened the letter and began to read it, feeling her smile grow as she neared the end. She touched her fingers to her lips, knowing if someone happened to walk in and see her they would see the stupid grin on her face. She picked the ring back up and eyed it. After she placed the letter in her hiding space she went over to her vanity and looked through her chains. She found a thin, but sturdy white gold chain. She slid the ring on it and fastened it around her neck. She wasn't wearing the ring as it should so technically that didn't make her a traitor right?

She went to her desk and pulled out another piece of paper. This had become almost like a routine to her now.

_Dear Akito,_

_I'm glad that you like my letters and it doesn't bother me that your letters are short. I know you and if you acted differently in letters than you did in person you wouldn't be the man I'm so fond of. The ring is beautiful by the way. I'm actually unsure as to whether or not I should send it back to you. It had your clan's symbol and I know that you Uchihas are very high up on your name. If you really want me to have it then I accept it with all the thanks in my heart. I'll have it by my heart always. _

_I also promise not to tell Tsukai about his kiss. I wish I could have given it to you as well. I miss you, more than you will ever know. I understand that things are going to get hectic, I will await your next letter but I understand if it takes longer. Plus, Tsukai probably needs a break as well. Please keep safe until the next time I can see you._

_Your precious flower,_

_Natsumi_

* * *

As he read Natsumi's last letter his brow furrowed. He actually hadn't thought about the fact that the ring had his clan's symbol on it and that it could get her in trouble. He had just wanted her to wear it so that people would know she belonged to him. But then he realized that that was impossible, given the fact that they were at war. But he was happy that she chose to wear it regardless.

After stashing her letter he began to pull off his bloody clothes, having just got back from his mission. He had given Tsukai a mouse as a reward, and was now intent on getting a shower. Once he was clean and dressed in a pair of loose sweatpants he sat down and replied to her letter. He hoped that he could see her soon, because, while writing and hearing from her was nice, he wished he could hold her. He would wait a while before sending it, since Tsukai needed to rest for a while, and he had chores to do that had been neglected.


	16. Suspicions

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Sixteen_

-Suspicions-

There was a loud banging on the front door of the Uchiha house. Akito looked up from his kunai practice and towards the source of noise coming from the front of the house. "Akito! Open up!" he heard a familiar voice yell between the hammering. The Uchiha heir sighed, tossing his last kunai at the target and getting a perfect bull's eye. He took his time getting to the door and just as he was about to grab the handle it flew open and slammed right into Akito's face. "OW!" he shouted out, holding his nose that had received most of the impact. Haru ran in, looking panicked. A large black and white husky bounded in after him, standing as tall as his master's waist. The dog sniffed around on the floor and then barked excitedly, tackling the recovering boy to the floor. He barked once more, licking Akito's face until it was covered in slobber.

"Dude, get up! We have a problem!" Haru dragged Akito up, shaking him senseless. The brunette focused worried dark blue eyes on his friend, almost as pale as a ghost.

"What the hell is your problem? You can't just barge into a man's house and knock him to the floor!" Akito yelled, getting out of his friend's grasp. He let out an aggravated sigh. "Now take a deep breath and tell me what's wrong."

Haru did as he was told and took in a deep breath. "I've got bad news Akito. Bad news. Your dad is on his way here right now with the Hokage, Ibiki, and Anko!"

He cocked his head to the side in confusion. "Why? If they need me for a mission or something they could always just send a messenger."

"No!" Haru yelled, shaking his friend once more. "Didn't you hear me? _Ibiki_ and _Anko_, I don't know how and I swear I didn't tell anyone. There was a letter from Iwa, someone saw you and Natsumi together! They are on their way here to interrogate you!"

"What?" Akito asked, eyes wide. Damn, it must have been that punk Kyo that had happened upon their campsite. Because he hadn't sensed anyone else in the area. "Damnit, this is the last thing I need right now." He looked at his friend. "How much time do I have?"

Haru scratched his head and thought for a moment. "Probably less than ten minutes. Your dad looks _pissed_. What are you going to do?"

"Lie my ass off. You should go, just in case things go bad. I don't want you to get caught in the crossfire." He said.

"Right! And I had nothing to do with this! So good luck my friend!" he set his hands on Akito's shoulders. "Try not to die!" he waved and then took off through the back with Hasuki on his tail.

Shortly after the young Inuzuka left, his father, the Hokage, Anko, and Ibiki arrived. One looked furious, one angry, one serious, and the other…well let's just say they found the whole situation to be mildly entertaining.

Tsunade crossed her arms and looked at Akito seriously. "Do you know why we're here Akito?"

"Well, I know why my father is here, since this is his house, but as for the rest of you? I haven't a clue." He said with a smirk, crossing his arms.

"Akito. This is not a time for jokes." Sasuke said sharply.

He just shrugged and leaned against the back of the couch. "Then what kind of matter is it?" he asked.

Tsunade spoke up then. "We have received a letter recently saying that you were caught fornicating with Sabaku no Natsumi. Is this true?" she asked, raising a brow.

Akito let out a derisive snort. "No. Why on earth would I show any interest whatsoever in that priss?"

Anko scoffed, setting her hands on her hips. "Boy, don't try and play high and mighty on us. Everyone in this room knows that those two twins are two of the most beautiful females in the ninja world. Aside from me of course," she smirked, letting out a sigh. "Plus your sensei has told me that when you fight her, it gets more than a little friendly."

"Oh please. Kakashi-sensei is a huge pervert, and the one time he was there to witness us fighting, he was half-dead and on the brink of unconsciousness. Those are just his perverted delusions." Akito told her. Then he smirked. "And trust me, you are _not_ one of the most beautiful females in the ninja world."

Her playful gaze fell and was replaced with irritation. "Sit down Uchiha brat." She ordered. But he only complied when Sasuke gave him a threatening glare as well. He walked into the living room, sat down in one of the chairs, and looked at the group once more. Tsunade took an offered seat and watched the banter begin. Anko stomped up to him and sneered. "We all know you are in an arranged marriage that you want nothing to do with. You've come into contact with the sand princess more than enough to have done away with her."

"Well then why don't you try fighting her and see how that turns out. You won't last five minutes. The first time I had an entire team to protect, because teammates are more important than the mission." He said, getting a nod from Tsunade. "And the second time I was protecting an entire neutral village. When I can fight her one-on-one, then I'll kill her."

Ibiki spoke up then. "You did fight her one on one Akito. You were not protecting an enemy village. Both of your teammates said you were gone with her and would have torn that village down. You even had a sword to her throat and you didn't deliver the final blow."

"Because her brother punched me across a forest before I could. And I was protecting the villagers from her. So what if a few buildings got damaged? It was collateral." He said, shrugging.

Tsunade sighed, not wanting to believe these accusations. She did not want to relive the Haruno Sakura incident. "Akito…the day they claimed to see you was when you were off on a mission…and it took you a day later than you usually do…you are very efficient and quick with your missions. So you have to understand that this is very suspicious."

"I stopped by a bath house to rest my shoulder. It was still sore from my first fight with Natsumi." He said.

"You should have been able to deal with the pain. I know I taught you how to block it out." Sasuke said, finally adding to the conversation.

"Yeah, but the doctor said I shouldn't overwork it too much. And I always follow orders." He replied, locking gazes with his father.

Tsunade gave him a skeptical look, "Akito I examined your shoulder myself. It was fine. Just stiff from having the ligaments and muscle torn."

"And the best place to loosen stiff muscles is a bath house." He countered. "Besides, I was given four days to complete the mission. I came back in three, so I don't understand why there is a problem, since I still came back before the deadline."

Ibiki made a gruff sound and stuck his hands in the pockets of his black trench coat. "Listen here Uchiha Akito. Since you are one of our most elite shinobi and this is quite a shock you have a shot to clear all these accusations. The next time you come in contact with the girl you are to kill her. Her death will turn the tides of the war in our favor."

Anko looked off, clearly pissed they were not going to torture the boy. "You better train hard this coming week Akito. Konoha is launching a major attack on Suna soon and you are going to play a key role in it. Do you understand?" she glared back at him, daring him to say something.

"Yes. I am fully aware of my role, and I will play it to its fullest. You can be sure of that." He said, glaring at the woman. "Now, if we're finished, I have some jutsu to perfect." He said, standing. Everyone else did the same.

"By the way Akito, I have a mission for you and your team, so come by the Tower tomorrow morning." Tsunade said, heading for the door. Ibiki followed her wordlessly, and Anko just glared.

"I'm watching you boy." She threatened, following the other two.

"Cougar." He mumbled, shutting the door. When he looked up to head to the backyard his father was still in the living room.

"I expect you to kill her Akito. Anything less is considered a failure." The elder Uchiha said, walking off towards the kitchen.

"Of course Father, it always is." He said, heading to the backyard. He was glad that his charade had worked on the group, because he had no intention of killing Natsumi any time soon. He would just have to come up with a way to avoid fighting her one-on-one so that he wouldn't look like a failure. Because even though he didn't act like it, his father's words upset him.

* * *

Natsumi walked through the halls of the Kage tower. She had been summoned to a session of the council, where the entire council was actually going to be present. Which meant her entire family would be there. She sighed, wondering what was wrong. She must be in trouble if she were the only one summoned. She stopped at the double doors leading to the meeting room and pushed them open without even knocking.

The room went silent as she entered and she couldn't help but notice that every eye turned to her in suspicion. She looked around the table, seeing every seat but one was filled. Her seat. Gaara sat at the opposite end of the circular table, his chair much larger than all the others. Sakura was to his right, her chair bigger than the others but smaller than Gaara's. Satomi was next to her mother and Toshiro sat on Gaara's left.

"Are you out of your mind?" Gaara began, focusing his icy glare on his daughter, who had yet to receive a motion for her to sit.

"What?" she blinked, a look of confusion crossing her features.

"Do not lie to the council Sabaku no Natsumi." One of the elder members spat out. "Suna has gotten an interesting piece of information containing information about you and a certain Uchiha."

She had to control her facial expression, making sure her surprise was not shown to the group. Another woman cleared her throat and laced her fingers together. "We have a source that says they saw you and the Uchiha boy coming out of a tent. It is only natural that we assume this is a romantic affair."

"Especially considering you have yet to kill the Uchiha." Another spoke up.

Natsumi could feel her heart beginning to race. She hoped she didn't look as guilty as she felt. This was it. She was going to be executed for treason against Suna. The ring she was wearing around her neck, hidden beneath her clothes, suddenly felt heavy. She had to fight the urge to grab it. She couldn't believe this was how she would die. Was it worth it? Her features hardened. Every moment she had spent with Akito was worth it. The only thing she regretted was dying so far away from him and not being in his arms when it happened. She opened her mouth to confess, knowing her father would not have called a meeting if he didn't believe it. But it was Toshiro who spoke.

"My sister hasn't killed the Uchiha yet because the time has not presented itself. During our first battle that Jounin Kakashi interrupted and they evaded our final blow. On our recent mission I interfered and it cost them their battle. We were captured and had to join forces with the Konoha shinobi to get away." He explained, locking his dark jade gaze with her lighter one. She could see the doubt in his eyes. She knew he thought she was guilty. But he was protecting her, like he always did.

"I see." one of the younger men in the council nodded, considering the facts.

"What about the informant who spotted them?"

"Yes. What about that?"

Natsumi took a deep breath and began her convincing lie. "When I ran away I happened to run into the Uchiha and we fought. It was a draw. This person must have come to see us when we were at a rest." Realization dawned on her as she thought about the morning she and Akito were interrupted. _Kyo_, she seethed in her head. That stupid Iwa Nin! He was dead now. Some of the council members seemed to be buying this and relief washed over her. This was going to work. "Where did this assumption come from anyway?"

Everyone quieted then, until Toshiro spoke up once more. "Iwa."

"And we trust them why?" she demanded, setting her hands on her hips in a very annoyed fashion. Both Gaara and Sakura grimaced at the mention of the village's name. They could still remember the torture they had endured all those years ago. But Natsumi noticed the downcast look that set in on her sister's normally stoic expression. Was something going on that she did not know about?

"Well then," a young blonde woman sat straight, getting the whole groups attention. "Since this was apparently a hoax, you should have no trouble with the mission you are about to be assigned."

"Of course not." she replied quickly.

The blonde nodded and looked to her Kazekage, allowing him to be the one to give his daughter the mission. "You are to break into Konoha any way you see fit, without causing a commotion, and steal any military plans you can get your hands on. Secret missions, battle lines, information, anything that can give us the upper hand. Hopefully we will know when they make their next attack." He explained.

Natsumi smirked, "I will execute it flawlessly Father."

"I expect nothing less." He leaned back in his chair waving a dismissive hand. He was still skeptical about the whole ordeal, because he knew his daughter and he knew she was hiding something. "You are all excused."

With that the group got up and started to leave. Gaara and Sakura locked gazes with their youngest, making sure she knew that they weren't completely convinced. Natsumi did an about face and headed out the door. She couldn't help the satisfied smile that crept its way across her face. She was going to get to see Akito a lot sooner than she thought.


	17. Discovery

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Seventeen_

-Discovery-

Natsumi landed gracefully on a tree branch just outside the great wall of Konoha. She scanned the area, having sensed someone here just a moment ago. She continued through the treetops until she saw who she was searching for. "Perfect." she whispered. There was a girl just about her age gathering some herbs from the forest. She had long black hair, ending just above her knees. She wore a black halter top with a pretty white design on the front and black capris with a white sash tied loosely around her waist. She was actually very, very pretty. But now was not the time to compliment the girl. Natsumi was on a mission and she was eager to see Akito. She jumped from the trees, speeding towards the girl, who realized a bit too late that someone was going to attack her. The next thing she knew the Konoha girl was lying unconscious on the ground. She studied her appearance carefully and with a few hand signs her looks changed, mirroring the girl's. She dragged the female towards a large bush, and before throwing her under the lush cover, she touched a glowing green hand to the girl's forehead. It was a precaution, to make sure she didn't wake up anytime soon.

When that was done Natsumi, now disguised as the dark haired girl, began to rummage through the things that the Konoha kunoichi had with her. She needed to find a name, in case someone called for her and she didn't respond. In her search she came across a letter and thankfully it was to her. She stared at the name, memorizing it and repeating it to herself so she would respond to it. "Tomoyo." She nodded and replaced the letter back in the real Tomoyo's pocket. She couldn't help but notice it had been a love note and smiled down at the girl. "Make sure you focus on the most important things first and not this stupid war." She pat Tomoyo's head and then hid her body in the bushes.

Natsumi walked along the wall, trying not to look so suspicious. She was a villager now, not a Suna assassin, and she had no reason to seem so uptight and ready for battle. She reached the gate and did her best not to stop. She walked right in, getting nothing but smiles from both the guards. She nodded to them and returned the gesture. This was just too easy. She looked around the village, trying to remember the place from so many years ago. Before she started her mission she wanted to see Akito. She wandered around, taking in the sights of the village. It had been so long and it was weird to be in a place where you fought its residence. None of the people looked menacing, they seemed happy and alive. _Just like Suna_. She shook the thought from her mind and continued forward, stopping every now and then as she tried to find her way around. She didn't know how good this Tomoyo girl was so she couldn't just speed around searching for her Uchiha.

After an hour or so she stopped, going wide eyed when she recognized where she was. She looked around the beautiful park and felt a smile form on her face. This was the place she had first met Akito. The place where it all began. She walked forward and stopped, knowing the exact spot she had been standing. She half expected Akito to pop up and tease her about getting lost again. She turned towards the area she had heard his voice but there was no one there. She sighed and then noticed someone was shouting. Then she realized they were shouting for Tomoyo. She did an about face and gasped when a tall brunette almost collided with her.

"Tomoyo!" he smiled, taking her hands in his. He was really nice looking and he had kind eyes, deep blues that seemed to go on forever. The way he was staring at her was so adorable, he was so love sick. This must be the one who wrote Tomoyo that letter. She tried to remember the name at the bottom and then hoped she was correct.

"Hello Haru?" she tried not making it sound so much like a question but his eyes brightened and he seemed to overlook it.

He released her hands and rubbed the back of his head, "I thought you were out gathering herbs today Tomoyo?"

"Where's Akito?" she blurted out, already done conversing with this man. She wanted to see Akito and she would not be delayed any longer. His eyes widened a bit and it was obvious he was trying to hide the hurt. But she didn't care, there was only one person she needed right now and it was not him. "Well?" she pushed, growing impatient.

He sighed and shrugged, "I dunno maybe at home. I haven't seen him today but that doesn't mean he isn't there."

"Will you take me there?" she asked hurriedly, her eyes sparkling, which really seemed to piss Haru off, but he started to lead her.

"Yeah, whatever." He growled. It was then that she noticed a dark mass was approaching them quickly and was baring its teeth in her direction. Fear shot through her and she prayed her sand would not spring into action.

Haru was before her in an instant holding off the vicious dog. "Hey! Hasuki! Calm down, what the heck is wrong with you? It's Tomoyo!" he yelled at the beast who did not relent from its attempted attack. Natsumi stared wide eyed at it and then to Haru. Finally, he hit the dog's head and got him to stop its snapping at her. It growled lowly, keeping its dark gaze on her. "What the heck you stupid dog, it's just Tomoyo." He laughed and then looked up at her and frowned. "Are you ok?"

Only then did she realize she had been paralyzed with fear. She tore her gaze from the dog and looked back at Haru finally finding her voice, "Yeah…I'm ok."

He nodded and hit the dog over the head once more. "Stupid dog. You probably just smell like herbs and he didn't recognize you."

"Can we go to Akito's house now?" she blurted out once more, now needing his embrace more than before. Haru sighed, trying to hide his irritation again. He started off, telling his dog to go and play. She followed him silently, looking around at the buildings to try and memorize them. It didn't take them long to reach the familiar Uchiha District, and before Haru could open the gate Natsumi rushed forward and grabbed it herself. "Ok, thank you. I can handle it from here. Go away." She said, not trying to be rude, but she was excited now. She slammed the gate shut, leaving Haru with his jaw hanging.

Finally Natsumi took off down the street and stopped when she saw the house she remembered. She hurried up the steps and pounded on the door, beginning to bubble over with joy. She couldn't wait to see how surprised he would be. It was going to be great.

The door opened swiftly, revealing an irritated looking Sasuke. He looked down on the person who dare interrupt his peaceful day, and his glare only increased when he saw who it was. He stared at her wordlessly. Usually if he did this, people either told him what they wanted or were too scared and nervous to say anything, so they left. He would give this girl ten seconds, and if she didn't speak up by then he was going to shut the door in her face.

"Where's Akito?" she asked bluntly, not even shying away from his death glare. She actually didn't even look intimidated, which was odd for anyone from the village.

He just stared at her for another few seconds, finding her behavior odd. He had only met this girl once, but she had been too shy to actually say anything to him. Perhaps she had gotten a backbone since he had last seen her. "Not here." He said, before shutting the door in her face.

Before the door could fully slam she grabbed it and held it open with a surprising strength. "Well where is he? You're his dad, how do you not know where he is?" she continued her questioning. She thought it weird that a father would not know his child's whereabouts.

"He is his own person. As long as he completes his training exercises every day, I do not care where he is. I'm not his babysitter." He said, growing more irritated with this girl.

She huffed and gave him a glare herself, one rivaling even her father's. "Well you're useless." She growled out and released the door, turning her back to the elder Uchiha and making her way back towards the gates.

As he watched her walk away he gave her a strange look. There was no way a person could change so swiftly, going from being a shy, submissive and respectful person to a rude and outspoken one. It was just impossible. On top of that, he didn't recall her having that much chakra either. And the look she had given him had reminded him of someone. He couldn't put his finger on whom, he just knew that whoever it was, he hated them with a passion. Deciding that he didn't care enough to investigate, he shut his door and went back to doing absolutely nothing.

* * *

Natsumi walked down one of the residential streets of Konoha. She had looked all over for Akito and could not find him. She could only come to one conclusion. He had been sent on a mission. Damn her luck, she cursed mentally in her head and sighed. She laced her fingers behind her head and walked slowly, with a bored expression, this sucked. She stopped when she heard the sound of Tomoyo's name and turned, seeing a blonde man running towards her. He looked fairly familiar and when he was close enough he leapt through the air and called her name once more. "AHHHHHHH!" she screamed, running backwards enough so the man slammed onto the ground, face first.

"Tomoyo! What the heck are you doing? You're supposed to be out picking fresh herbs to put in the soup for the rehearsal dinner!" Naruto yelled, standing up.

She stared at him awestruck. "What?"

"You know, the rehearsal dinner for Minako's wedding? Geez, you're the frickin' Maid of Honor, how could you forget that?" he asked, pulling his hair exasperatedly.

"Uuuh…" she trailed off, drawing a blank until the name finally brought a face with it. The girl on Akito's team. The one she had run away from when she was younger. "Oh…right…I was uh…just on my way out." She nodded.

"Well hurry up. It's bad enough that Akito won't help with the wedding, I don't need lazy workers too. This is borderline insubordination!" he declared, pointing a finger in the air.

She blinked, her confusion resurfacing again. Akito didn't seem like the type to help with a wedding, even if he were friends with the girl. "Why would Akito help?"

"Because it's his wedding too, duh! Man, you're more of an airhead than I thought you were." He said, giving her a perplexed look. She had seemed smart enough to him when he had first met her, but he'd been wrong about people before.

Her eyes widened in disbelief. Akito was getting married? And to that big breasted harpy on his team? Rage filled her, at both the woman stealing her Uchiha and the heir himself. How could he be engaged to someone other than her? She screamed in her head and finally realized she was screaming aloud as well. She stopped immediately and looked at Naruto who was wide eyed. "I'm sorry." She apologized, bowing respectfully. She could slowly feel her sanity slipping, she didn't know what to say, or even know what to think. She hurried away, her plan already formulating in her head. This had to be a mistake, there was no way Akito would betray her this way. She gripped the spot over her heart. It was physically hurting her. She could feel it slowly breaking. Her grip tightened and she looked up with solid resolve. She would just have to get rid of Minako and then everything would be perfect.

A sadistic smirk crept up her face as she began to pick up the pace. Her speed increased and she was gone, heading towards the Hokage tower. She would hunt that bitch down and kill her. When she reached the tower it was easy to slip in and walk through the halls. When she found the mission room she checked to make sure it was empty and then snuck in. She dug through the scrolls, trying to find out where Akito had gone on his mission. After at least fifteen minutes of searching she spotted his name and smirked. She read the location and the time he was sent. Perfect, she could intercept them easily. She rolled the scroll up, forgetting her mission for the time being, and left the room. She hastily made her way back out onto the streets and towards the gates. Once she was through them, her sick smirk crept back up her face. Her features turned a golden yellow and the sand fell off her skin, revealing her flawless face. She took off then, leaving Konoha behind in the dust. There was about to be one less ninja Suna would have to worry about.


	18. Betrayal

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Eighteen_

-Betrayal-

"Akito-kun, why must we go so fast?" Minako yelled.

He looked back at her, continuing his pace through the thick branches. "I always make good time on my missions Minako. Besides, the rehearsal dinner is in a few days. Don't you want to make sure everything is perfect?"

This made her quiet down, since she would want to make sure everything went just so. He felt bad for lying to her, but the real reason he wanted to hurry back was because he was eager to see if he had received a letter from Natsumi. He'd been gone on a mission for the last four days, so she had plenty of time to send him something. He hoped.

"It's fine Minako-chan! The speed Akito has set will increase our youth and vigor!" Ken shouted enthusiastically from the rear of their formation. Akito just rolled his eyes. He was glad that Kakashi was busy with something else and that he had been named mission leader. If Minako was, they would be traveling at a leisurely pace, and if Ken was, well, he would kill him. The green clad man was just so annoying.

The group traveled in silence after that. When Akito felt a large chakra force coming their way he stopped, his companions halting as well. His eyes widened. It was Natsumi, and she was alone. He grew confused at this. Surely she couldn't be alone, she never went anywhere without one or both of her siblings. And she was headed directly towards them. But she should know there's no way she would only be allowed to fight him while the other two just watched, that wasn't how things worked in the ninja world. So, with sharingan red eyes, he watched the parting of trees that she was going to appear through.

He only saw her for a second when she burst through the trees. Sometimes it even astounded him how fast she was that his sharingan couldn't even keep up. But the look on her face finally registered, she was pissed. More than pissed, she looked furious and she didn't even spare him a second glance. She landed on the tree branch right beside him and then things seemed to move in slow motion. She pushed off the branch and sailed right towards Minako, hiking her leg up and hitting her mark perfectly.

Minako flew backwards and fell down to the ground, shock the only readable thing on her face. She reached her hand up, feeling the blood drip from her nose. Natsumi jumped down right after her, golden sand surging ahead to obliterate her one obstacle.

Before the sand could reach its victim, Akito took action. He pushed off the branch he was standing on and landed next to his friend. Picking her up bridal style, he quickly disappeared using his speed, landing on another branch a few feet away from where he had just been. The sand slammed into the earth, breaking up the ground. Natsumi landed and touched the broken rock with the tips of her fingers. She looked up, her face devoid of all emotion. It was something he had never seen on her façade before. Suddenly she broke out in a sadistic laughter, with a dark smile crossing her face. She stood up and faced him her fingers twitching with the sands need to kill. "Akito put her down. I don't want to hurt you. Its ok, I understand. She's the only one who needs to die." She tried to explain. It all made sense in her head. Though, her head probably wasn't the sanest place in the world right now. She twisted her wrists and the sand flew at them, spreading across the entire area so there was nowhere to run. When it was between them, it ripped Minako from his arms and slammed her into a tree and then dragged her back down to the ground. "How dare you try and marry my pre-fiancé. He is MNE!" she screeched, finally snapping. She took off, disappearing in the blink of an eye, pulling her hand back and aiming her now glowing green palm right for the woman's heart.

Just as her hand was about to make contact it was shoved out of the way. Startled, Natsumi looked up to see Akito's hard gaze. "Do _not_ touch her." He said. He didn't know how Natsumi had discovered about his arranged marriage, but he would be damned if Minako took the blow for his mistake. He should have either broken off his thing with Natsumi or called off the wedding. Haru was right when he said Natsumi wasn't like the Konoha girls. She was out to kill.

Natsumi went wide eyed, frozen. Just like her heart. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't do anything. She was completely vulnerable because her world had just been shattered. Akito had picked that woman over her. She suddenly felt foolish, of course he had, that was the one he wanted to marry and he was just using her. She took a step back, tears pooling in her now glistening eyes. Her mother was right, Uchiha's were liars. She was stupid to think Akito was different, she didn't even know him and she had allowed him into her heart and she was now paying the price. "I hate you." She said softly, unable to keep the pain from her voice and wracking through her body. She lifted her hand to her chest and pulled off the ring he had sent her. It did nothing but burn against her flesh now. "I hate you!" she screamed throwing it at him and as soon as the offensive ring was out of her grasp, she turned around and ran back for Suna before she broke down in front of him.

He would not see her cry, she would not allow it. But despite her efforts, she felt the hot tears streaming down her face. She wanted to be home, safe in her mother's loving arms. She would apologize for everything and rededicate her life to Suna.

Akito looked to the ground where his ring laid, an overwhelming sadness coming over him then. He picked it up, pocketing it quickly. Then he looked down at Minako, whose eyes were still the size of saucers. "Minako…are you alright?" he asked, reaching out to pick her up. Her eyes shot to his and she backed even more into the bark of the tree.

"Don't touch me! I almost died Akito-kun! Because of you! Why would you allow that psycho to still believe that you two were going to get married, when we have been engaged for almost a year?" she asked, standing with a bit of difficulty. She turned her now calm gaze to Ken, who had watched the whole thing go down. "Ken, will you please carry me the rest of the way? I'm afraid I'm not fit to travel." She asked. Akito felt ashamed. He had hurt someone he cared about, and in the process had almost gotten his best friend killed. Minako had never yelled or looked at him in fear before, and he found that he didn't like either, although he deserved it. The fact that she was asking Ken, their annoying teammate who had a crush on her to carry her was another indicator of her upset.

"Of course Minako-chan! I would be most honored!" he said, leaping to the ground and carefully situating her on his back. She looked over at Akito then.

"I will not speak a word of this, but until we are home and I get my ramen, I'm going to stay mad at you." She said. He nodded and then leapt into the treetops, Ken following. It was going to be a long two day trip back to Konoha, he was sure of it.

* * *

Natsumi had run nonstop until she was back in Suna. Her legs were sore but she didn't want to stop, for fear she would turn back around and bring Konoha to its utter destruction. She finally slowed when she saw her house and pushed the door open quickly. "Mom!" she yelled, looking around the foyer. She hurried down the hall but didn't find her mother in the living room or the kitchen. She started up the stairs, taking two at a time, and ran towards her mother's room. She could feel her chakra there and her dad wasn't home so she knew it was safe.

"Mommy!" she cried out when she went through the door and saw her mother at her vanity, playing aimlessly with all the things she had acquired over the years. She fell to her knees and wrapped her arms around the elder woman's waist and began to sob. "I'm so sorry Mom."

Sakura stared down at her daughter in shock. Natsumi never apologized to anyone for anything. Well, only if it was to Gaara, but she rarely did things that upset him, and as she had gotten older the apologies stopped. "Sorry for what dear?" she asked, placing her hand on her daughter's head.

"For everything I said," she managed out. She buried her face into Sakura's stomach and tried to calm herself down. She was hyperventilating now, the shock of how hurt she really was finally sinking in. "You were right. You're always right. You're strong, beautiful, and you are so wise. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She breathed out. "You were right about Akito. He was a liar, I'm so sorry." She said again. She just couldn't believe how sorry she was for not trusting her mother. Someone she knew would always be there for her no matter what.

Emerald eyes widened. Loosening her daughter's hold around her waist, Sakura got down on her knees as well. Once eye level with her daughter she brought the young woman closer in a hug. "Shhhhhh. It's okay sweetie." She soothed, stroking her daughter's head. It was breaking her heart to see Natsumi so torn. "Now tell me, in what way did that Uchiha lie to you? Don't tell me if it's too painful, but I want you to know, I'll go kill him if I have to." She said.

She sniffed, hugging her back tightly. "I went to Konoha for my mission and posed as this girl. I wanted to see him before I stole the scrolls but he wasn't home. When I was going to the tower that really weird, nice blonde man…Naruto I think…he called the girl's name and started talking to me about this wedding. He said that his daughter, that really pathetic one with the big breasts, was going to get married to Akito." She stopped, unable to go on. It was tearing her apart to remember the scene. "So I broke into the tower and found out where Akito was sent on a mission and tracked them down so I could kill her. But when I tried to, Akito got in the way and protected her! He chose her over me! He was engaged the whole time and we…we…" she started sobbing again, unable to stop the wave of sadness. "Please don't tell dad…he'll be so furious. I'm sorry I lied to the council, I promise the next time I see him…I will rip his heart out…just like he did to mine."

Sakura almost let out a sigh, although she wasn't surprised her daughter had fallen for the young Uchiha. And done intimate things with him. Like mother like daughter after all. She wanted to reprimand Natsumi for everything, try and get her daughter to see that perhaps she didn't have the whole story, but Sakura knew such words would fall on deaf ears. She kissed Natsumi's head and continued stroking her hair. "I won't tell him, I promise. Some things are just between a mother and her daughter. I won't tell you that I'm not disappointed in you but…I understand. And I think, what he did to you was worse than what Sasuke did to me." She pulled away then and cupped her daughter's cheeks. "He is a fool for losing you, that's all I can say. You are without a doubt the most beautiful girl on this planet, inside and out. He will realize his mistake someday, and when he does, I know you'll be sure to rub it in his face." She said with a slight smile, kissing Natsumi's forehead.

She couldn't help but smile. "I will mom," she nodded, placing her hands over her mother's. "I will make him suffer for it…and thank you." She said softly. She was glad her mother was so understanding. She would make it up to her somehow. "I'm so sorry for everything I've done. I promise. I have my priorities straight now."

"Don't worry about it, everyone makes mistakes. As long as you are happy dear, I'm happy. Remember that. You and your siblings' happiness means the world to me." The elder medic said, hugging her child once more.

"I know," she nodded and then looked over as the door opened. Gaara walked in and took in the sight, looking confused.

"Is everything alright? Have you already completed your mission Natsumi?"

Natsumi gave her mother one last hug and then got up, running to her father and hugging him as well. He blinked, placing his arms around her as well. "No dad not yet, I just missed you guys really bad so I had to come back. Plus I wanted to apologize to mom about what I said those months ago. But don't worry I'll be off in the morning." She kissed his cheek and then released him. "I love you guys." She smiled, leaving the room then.

Gaara stared after her and then looked back at Sakura. "What's going on?"

Sakura stood and smiled at her husband. "Nothing you need worry about. Natsumi just had a bit of a wakeup call, and needed to talk to me about it. Everything's fine." She said, walking up to him and kissing him sweetly. "I'm gonna go start dinner. Is there anything in particular you want?"

He just gave her a condescending look, he knew there was more to it than that. But if it was really important he would find out about it…eventually. "Steak." He gave her a small smile and kissed her forehead. She gave him a small nod and headed downstairs for dinner.

* * *

Natsumi knocked on her sister's door, getting a welcome. She went in and saw her sister messing with some herbs on her bed. Satomi glanced up, she had her hair down from its natural do. She always loved her sister's hair. It was so beautiful and she was secretly envious of how well she could take care of it. "I thought you were out on a mission." She said softly.

"I was, but I just had an urge to come back. Besides it's an infiltration mission, you know I can take my time with it." She smiled, receiving one in return.

"I know." She pat the bed and Natsumi sat beside her, resting her head on her elder sister's shoulder. "So what's wrong?" Satomi finally asked, continuing with the mixture she was making.

"Nothing. I just wanted to say hi and tell you that I love you."

"I love you too Natsumi," Satomi looked back at her with another small smile.

She gave Satomi a quick hug and then stood, "Mom's starting dinner so be ready soon alright?" she clapped her hands together and left the room. The elder twin just stared after her, deciding to leave the matter alone. She was acting kind of weird.

Finally Natsumi knocked on her brother's door, walking in when she got an answer. "Hi Toshiro!" she smiled walking up to him as he stood from his chair.

"Hey little one, what are you doing back? I thought you were off on that mission?" he smirked, setting his hand on the top of her head. She huffed and tried to swat it away but he pressed down harder, enjoying her struggle.

"I decided to come back for a little, I missed you guys and things got a bit too heated…" she stopped, she couldn't continue now for fear that her tears would return. The red head frowned and touched his finger to her chin, tilting her face up so her eyes locked with his.

"What's wrong?" he demanded.

She went a bit wide eyed, but quickly hid her shock. "Nothing's wrong Toshiro." She laughed, pushing his hand away. "Just telling you that dinner is almost ready." She nodded, then after a bit of silence she hugged him tightly, gripping his shirt. "Just know that I'll always love you big brother. You're the most amazing man ever, aside from dad of course." She smirked, making his suspicious gaze turn into a grin.

"Ok, ok." He laughed, hugging her back. "I'll be down in a minute." He told her. With that she released him and left his room, heading for her own. Her smile faded and her expression was filled with sadness. She loved her family so much and it saddened her to think she would never see them again. She touched the area over her heart and felt a renewed pain. She had betrayed her village by falling in love with her enemy and she was repaid with heartache and perfidy.

She pushed her door open and went to her bed, falling down into the soft sheets. But the messed up thing was, she still loved him. As much as she didn't want to and as much as she hated him. She still felt him tugging at her heart. Which was why she was planning what she was going to do. She was going to kill herself and drag him down with her. She would make him suffer, just like she said she would. Even if her death didn't make him grieve, she would make sure he endured physically what her heart was feeling. She started to laugh darkly, already seeing the beautiful scene. She heard her mother's voice call for her then and got up, returning to her normal self. She would enjoy this last night with her family. The only ones she could really trust. She would need all the courage she could muster to go through with her plan.

* * *

Akito shut his door behind him, finally home from his mission and the terrible incident on the way back. Before he could even take another breath, there was a pounding on the door. It flew open and Haru was on him in a second, trying to strangle him. "YOU ASSHOLE! You LYING JERK! You said you didn't like Tomoyo! What the heck man! I thought we were best friends! But you stabbed me in the back! What? Is your fiancé and your little pink haired parade of a booty call not enough for you?" he shouted angrily.

Akito threw his friend off of him and stood. "What are you talking about Haru? I already told you that Tomoyo wasn't my type. And even if she was, you've liked her for years! Bros before hoes man, bros before hoes." He said, watching his friend wearily.

"Then _why_ was she searching for you till no end and then went to your house all by herself? All she wanted to do was find you and she knows you don't give a damn about the wedding." He pointed accusingly from his spot.

"Dude, everyone knows I don't give a damn about the wedding. And I wasn't even here! I _just_ got back from a week and a half long mission." He paused, realizing something. "When was it exactly she came by my house?"

Haru, having finally calmed down a little, scratched his head. "I don't know a couple days ago."

Akito ran his hand through his hair agitatedly. "Shit." He muttered. At his friend's confused look he sighed. "That wasn't Tomoyo, it was Natsumi. She came after me while I was on my mission and tried to kill Minako, saying something about stealing me away. When I stopped her she said she hated me and left. And now Minako is mad at me." He said, sitting down on his couch and putting his head in his hands. "I really fucked things up." He didn't usually curse, and when he did it was because he was either really stressed or really pissed.

Haru let out a relieved sigh, no wonder Tomoyo had seemed so obsessed with Akito. He was glad at least that his life wasn't totally ruined. He walked over to Akito and set her hand on his shoulder. "Sorry for accusing you…but…I told you this would happen. You were trying to live two separate lives…but eventually someone finds out. But you made your choice man, you picked Minako over that psychopath. I know that sand princess is really pretty but she's crazy. You made the right choice. Minako is nice and sweet and she'll always care for you, no matter how many times you might almost get her killed." He smiled.

"I know but…when Natsumi said she hated me…I don't know. I didn't like it. I mean, I can stand it when Minako is mad at me, because she gets over it. For some reason I feel like I should go to Suna and apologize. Me, apologize." He said, giving his friend a meaningful look. "This whole thing is confusing. I know I care for both of them, I'm just not sure which one I care for more."

"Wow...that's unheard of." He laughed, trying to be upbeat for his down friend but he knew it was time to be serious. "Look, I'm not telling you to go back to Suna or anything or whatever. I'm not going to tell you what to do, or what you should do. The only thing you need to think about now is…" he sighed. "Which one could you not live without?"

He sighed and stood. "I don't know, this calls for further contemplation before I take action on anything. Unfortunately the Hokage wants me to go on another short mission. I'll make my decision when I get back." He walked over and placed his hand on his friend's shoulder. "In the meantime, ask Tomoyo out already. She really likes you." He said, smiling slightly.

He rolled his eyes, but smirked. "I know, I know. I will I promise. By the time you get back she'll be my girlfriend." He assured him. "Good luck on your mission. See you when you get back." He waved, taking his leave.

Once he was alone he let out a frustrated groan and headed for his room. He would shower and change before heading out on his mission. It was a simple one, so he wouldn't even need to wear either his Jounin or Anbu uniform, and he could leave his sword in its spot on the wall of his room. Rubbing his temple, he undressed quickly and got in the shower.


	19. Sorrow

**Magnetism **

_Chapter Nineteen_

-Sorrow-

Natsumi stared down at the Uchiha house. It had been vacant for the past two hours now, but she wanted to wait and make sure Sasuke did not come back. Finally, she stood from her hiding spot and jumped down into the backyard. This was only phase one to her plan and it was the easiest. She had spent a wonderful time with her family the other night and she was glad it had been so peaceful. It had given her the resolve she needed to go through with her plan. They deserved so much better than a traitor daughter. Plus Satomi and Toshiro were more than enough to protect the village.

She broke into the house quickly, not bothering to make her entrance hidden. She wouldn't live past this night anyways. She walked in and looked around, admiring some of the things inside. She had always imagined her home looking something like this, the traditional Japanese style. Eventually, she found Akito's room and peered inside, it was pretty empty aside from his bed, dresser, and night stands. But yet it was so him, in the spare areas there were weapons that needed sharpening and notes on how to perfect jutsu. Her eyes trailed the walls until she saw what she was looking for. His prized sword. She was going to frame him. She would run herself through with his own sword and when they found her, he would be the one to blame and Suna would not rest until they had his head on a silver platter. It was perfect. She took the sword quickly and left the house in a swirl of sand.

Once she was back out in the woods she took off, needing to find a good traffic area so that her body would be found. She stopped near a popular traveling path in Bird country, just north of her own beloved country, but far enough from Stone. She walked off the path, seeing a beautiful field with white lilies filling the space. They looked beautiful in the bright full moon. She felt a smile play on her face, it seemed so fitting, to die amongst such beautiful flowers.

When she reached the middle she stopped and unsheathed the heavy sword she'd held once before. It looked so menacing now, as if it craved for her flesh and blood. She dropped the sheath beside her and took the hilt with both hands, pressing the tip against her flat stomach. She almost didn't do it, but as she thought about it, her memories resurfaced. He had rejected her and used her. She wouldn't be able to live with this pain…and she couldn't kill him. No, not couldn't…wouldn't. She took a deep breath and before she could have a second thought she thrust down, taking in a sharp breath as the pain from her heart mixed with the pain from her abdomen.

Her vision began to blur and she could taste the coppery blood filling her mouth. So this was what it felt like to die? It wasn't so bad. She kept her eyes on the moon, wanting to see something beautiful before she left this sick and twisted world. Unable to stand the pain anymore she fell to her knees, her blood splattering on the pure flowers, tainting their appearance. She shut her eyes and hit the ground then, losing her vision and then all feeling in her body. This was death and she would welcome it with open arms.

* * *

As Akito made his way home he thought back on the past couple of days. He still hadn't decided on who he wanted. He cared for Minako, but wasn't attracted to her. He was attracted to Natsumi, and he did care for her, but she had said she hated him, and he knew that there was no way she would forgive him as easily as Minako had.

His mission had taken him all the way out to the edge of Rock. Too close for his liking but whatever. Now that he was in Bird country he could relax somewhat, since they didn't have that big of an army and were relatively neutral in the war. As he came close to a field of flowers he stopped. He could feel Natsumi's chakra, but there was something off about it. It was as if it was slowly diminishing. He sped forward then, expanding his own chakra in order to find her, his sharingan activated.

Entering a field of white lilies, he could see a figure on the ground in the distance. Coming upon it he gasped audibly. "Natsumi!" he fell to his knees next to her and pulled her close to his body. Bringing a hand to her throat, he could feel that she was still alive, but just barely. He took in the scene before him and grew incredibly sad. So she had stolen his sword and done this to herself. He knew why. Knew that it was all his fault. Taking control of his emotions, he removed his katana from her midsection and brought his hand up to slow the blood flow.

This was bad. He needed to save her. If she died, he didn't know what he was going to do. Sheathing his sword and strapping it onto his back, he picked her up bridal style and immediately began to head towards home. After running for about five minutes he stopped once more. Biting his thumb, he quickly summoned a large hawk and hopped on its back. "Kei, take me to the village immediately." He ordered. The large beast squawked in response and took to the skies, flying swiftly in the direction of Konoha. As they glided over the landscape Akito continued to glance down at the unconscious woman in his arms. She had to live. She just _had_ to.

About two hours later the large bird landed on top of the Hokage Tower. Without even a thank you Akito dismissed the bird, making a mental note to show his appreciation later. He ran down the side of the building and hopped through the window to Tsunade's office. She was asleep at her desk, snoring rather loudly. "Wine country has stopped making sake!" he yelled, not having time to try and rouse her nicely.

Tsunade sat up immediately and looked around her office in alarm. "What?" then her hazel gaze focused on the young Uchiha, eyes widening when he saw who was in his arms. "What are you doing Uchiha? And why is she here?" she asked.

"She was run through with my sword and needs immediate medical attention. Please, help her Tsunade." He said, his worry showing in his eyes.

Sighing she stood, her medic mode taking over. "Come with me." She told him, walking out of her office. They went up a few flights of stairs until they were in Tsunade's personal quarters at the top of the building. She led him to a spare room. "Put her there gently." She said, indicating to the bed. He did as he was told and stepped away, his eyes remaining on Natsumi.

"Now, I need you to go get be a bucket of hot water and a wash rag." She ordered, waiting for him to leave the room. That was when she began to heal the young woman. She knew that there was more going on here than what he had told her, but decided not to ask. This girl was Sakura's daughter, and that was the only reason Tsunade was healing her. After peeling away Natsumi's top, the blonde Hokage's brow scrunched in confusion. This was most definitely a sword wound, but not one received by an opponent. This was one you would give yourself, based on the angle. "What have you gotten yourself into Akito?" she asked the empty room, her hand glowing green as she began to heal the mostly dead girl.

* * *

Akito paced in the hallway outside the room, having been forced out once he'd delivered the water and supplies that Tsunade would need. He wouldn't allow his mind to think anything in that moment, too afraid that if he did he would go crazy. But Natsumi was in good hands, so he really had no need to worry.

Three hours later Tsunade came out of the room looking worn. "She will be fine. I gave her some morphine, so she'll be unconscious for another eighteen hours or so." She gave him a hard stare. "She's going to have to be taken to the dungeons Akito. You know this."

He nodded. "Yes, I do. And I formerly request, as the one who captured her and brought her in for questioning, to be one of the guards stationed at her cell." This way he could be close to Natsumi and have a chance to talk to her.

Tsunade considered his words, and after a few minutes she spoke. "Fine. Go home, shower, and rest a bit. When you wake up come to my office, and I will give you a key to her cell."

"Thank you Tsunade." He said before leaving swiftly. He would shower and sleep for eight hours, giving himself enough time to be at Natsumi's cell when she awoke. He couldn't wait until she did, because in all the time that she had been out, he had made his decision.

* * *

Natsumi groaned loudly, moving stiffly. She was so sore and the ground was so cold. Wasn't hell supposed to be hot? She cracked her eyes open, only being met with darkness, until her vision took to the small amount of light coming from behind her. It looked like it was torch light. She tried to move her hands but they stayed together. She glanced down, seeing they were bound by rope. She cursed softly, she sat up finally, feeling the full extent of her sore body. She tried to remember why she was in this place. Suddenly the night flashed back into her mind. She had killed herself. She tried to regulate her breathing, obviously she was not dead, but who the hell found her so quickly? She looked down and lifted her shirt so she could see her stomach. It was perfectly healed, without even a scar. With a bit of difficulty she stood, she turned around facing the bars of the cell and screamed when she saw Akito staring at her. She fell back down, pushing herself with her feet as far away from him as possible. "You! What the hell do you want!" she demanded, glaring at him hatefully.

"Next time you decide to commit suicide, maybe you should do a better job so that someone traveling through the area doesn't take you to the nearest medic to save your life. Just a thought." He responded. He wasn't surprised by her response to his presence, but she was just going to have to deal with it.

"It's not like I didn't want to be found. And what do you care? Why are you even here? Do you just enjoy being an asshole that much?"

"Since I'm the one that found you, I was chosen to be one of your guards." He said, rising from the chair he had been sitting in. He walked over to her cell and stopped when he was a foot away. Pain entered his expression then, but he quickly hid it. "Why did you do it? Do you really hate me that much?" he asked.

She arched a delicate brow. "What makes you think it had anything to do with you?"

He gave her a meaningful look. "Don't lie to me Natsumi. I've gotten to know you over the past few months, and I know that it had everything to do with me, otherwise you would have used your own weapon, instead of stealing mine."

She tried to control her facial expression, but he had caught the hurt that crossed her face. But it was soon replaced with false conceit. "The only thing it had to do with you was that I was trying to frame you for murdering me. I mean, you might as well have."

Suddenly he was overwhelmed with guilt, and he grew angry. He didn't like these emotions she was making him feel. But it was his own fault. He had let her in too close. She was now an important part of his life, and he refused to lose her without a fight. "I'm sorry. I know it doesn't fix things, but I am. I wish that you could have found out differently…I just didn't think it was that big of a deal. I mean…I never realized you were _that_ serious about marrying me." He admitted, rubbing the back of his head in order to hide his shame in his stupidity.

Now she looked pissed. "Not that big of a deal!" she got up, using the wall for her support, since her hands were bound. She walked up to him, grabbing the bars with her hands and glaring at him. "If I wasn't serious about it, then why the hell would I say it?" she pressed her face closer to the bars. "Let me give you a couple of reasons why it was obvious that I was serious. You aren't _dead_ yet! I let you touch and violate my body and I risked my life to see you! _Please_ explain to me why you would think I wasn't serious!"

He just stared at her, shocked. "Well…I'm not really sure. I'm not good with emotions okay? And every time I see you I feel things that I don't know how to describe. It angers and confuses me all at the same time. When we first started…whatever it is we started, I didn't tell you because it was only physical attraction that we felt for one another. And then over the months that we exchanged letters, I began to care for you, but I was so wrapped up in missions and corresponding with you I didn't even think about the wedding. Besides, that's not something you tell someone about through a letter." He defended, crossing his arms. He had to work on not getting upset, because in all honesty he had no right to. He would just have to let her vent her anger and frustrations, and hope that before he had to switch with the other guard, she would forgive him somewhat.

She just scoffed and released her grip on the bars. "You had _plenty_ of opportunities to tell me you were getting married to that…_woman_. How stupid do you think I am Akito? Just because my mom had a thing for your dad like a billion years ago and he manipulated her until she couldn't take it anymore, doesn't mean you can do the same to me. She warned me about you, you know." She turned back around and pointed at him. "I actually _defended_ you. I ran away because I wouldn't give you up. When I was placed on trial for having a relationship with you I accepted it graciously, because I _thought_ that the little time we had been together was worth it. But now, I'm just your booty call?"

"Why does everyone keep using that term?" Akito asked, scrunching his brow in confusion. She just stared at him a bit shocked but chose to ignore it. She couldn't look at him. He actually seemed sincere.

"Whatever. I'm done with your lies. I hope you have a wonderful wedding and live happily ever after with your _peasant_." She snapped, beginning to pace around the cell. Now that her plan had failed it seemed she would just have to complete her infiltration mission and steal Konoha's plans.

He snorted and looked away from her. "Like I want to marry her." He said under his breath.

_Don't fall for it Natsumi_, she told herself, pressing her lips together. "Whatever." She mumbled, keeping her back to him. She just wanted him to leave. This was not what she planned and it was really starting to take a toll on her heart. She lifted her hands to her chest, feeling her racing heart. Maybe she should just gouge the stupid thing out.

He held in a sigh and looked at the ground. It was almost time for him to leave, and things still weren't patched between them. He decided to try a different approach. "Haru told me that I needed to choose. Figure out which one of you I can't live without." He said, moving around some of the dirt on the floor with his foot.

"You already chose." She spat out, shutting her eyes to stop the tears from falling. Even if they did, at least he wouldn't be able to see them in this light. She hunched forward, pressing her face into her palms. This was far worse than hell. Or maybe her suicide really had worked and this was her punishment in the afterlife. To have Akito guarding her forever.

He looked up at her then, his face full of emotion. "I did, the moment I saw you in that field. It's you I can't live without Natsumi. Sure, I would be sad if Minako died, but I'd get over it eventually. I was so worried when I was bringing you back here to be healed, I thought I was going to lose you. I know I said before that I would regret killing you, but that was a lie. The truth is, I would regret it if you died. Fighting used to be my only reason for living, but over the past few months, after getting to know you, it changed. If you died…I would follow shortly after." He said, admitting all the feelings he had just come to realize while waiting for her to wake up.

She couldn't stop the sob that chocked out. This was just unbearable. Why was he doing this to her. It was obvious now that people from Konoha were far more vicious than led on to believe. At least Uchiha's were. "Please…just go away." She managed out, unsuccessfully hiding another sob.

"Why won't you believe me?" he asked desperately, moving to step up to the bars. But before he could the door opened, revealing the new guard. Akito quickly schooled his features so that nothing could be suspected.

The man walked in, waving at the Uchiha. "Hey, I'm here to relieve you." He said.

"Whatever. I'll be back in ten hours." Akito said stiffly, looking at Natsumi and then walking out of the room, shutting the door harshly behind him. But not before he heard the cocky laughter of the other guard, telling Natsumi just how pretty the caged bird was.


	20. Genjutsu

**Magnetism **

_Chapter Twenty_

-Genjutsu-

The door to the dungeon room opened and Natsumi's gaze shot towards the door. Akito walked in, seeing the other guard making a kissing face at Natsumi. He smirked and looked back at Akito. "No wonder you were accused of doing naughty things to this little thing. She's definitely a beauty." He smirked, patting the younger Uchiha on the shoulder as he left. He glanced back at the prisoner once more and winked. "See you later, baby." And then he was gone.

Natsumi stared after him a disgusted look on her face until she looked back at Akito. "You're not really going to keep letting him be my guard are you? He's so repulsive." She frowned. It had been four days since she was put in this prison and out of the two men assigned to guard her, she actually preferred the one who ripped her heart to shreds.

"He doesn't do anything to you does he? Because I'll kill him." He replied, looking back at the door.

"Please," she rolled her eyes. "He talks about it but he never tries anything. Even if he did I could take him down with both hands tied. Even with this stupid chakra seal I've got on my back."

"I suppose I can discuss it with Tsunade, although without proper reason it isn't likely." He replied, sitting in the chair across from her. "So…are you still mad at me?" he asked. It was the same question he asked every time he came back in for his shift in watching her, and he would continue to ask it until the answer was to his liking.

She arched her brow. Again with that annoying question. She thought the answer would be obvious. She let a small smirk cross her face, "Why no Akito. Why don't you come in here and I'll show you how _not_ mad I am." She purred, giving him a suggestive look that hid her true violent intentions.

He almost leapt out of the chair, he was so happy with her words, his joy showing on his face. He looked so much like the little kid he used to be when she had first met him that it almost made her rethink her plan. Almost. But before he could reach her cell he stopped in his tracks, his entire body going stiff. He straightened and backed away from her, schooling his expression to a blank one. Then he turned towards the door as it opened, revealing his father.

Sasuke walked into the room and didn't even spare Natsumi a glance. Instead he walked straight up to his son. "How long have you been doing this?" he asked.

"Four days."

"Have you been neglecting your training?"

"No." Akito answered. These questions were standard.

"We'll see. Once you finish I will test this out. If you lose we will just have to double your regimen."

"Yes Father." He hoped the elder Uchiha would leave soon. This was embarrassing, especially since it was in front of Natsumi.

That was when Sasuke glanced at her. Then he returned his stoic gaze back to his son. "This is the girl who injured your shoulder?" he asked with a raised brow.

"Yes Father." He said stiffly. He knew where this was going.

"Despicable. You should have killed her by now. I am disappointed in your failure Akito. For once in your life, can you _try_ and do something right?" he crossed his arms then.

"Yes Father. I will do better next time." He said, his jaw tense from the emotion he was hiding.

Sasuke gave his son a haughty look. "See that you do."

"Ha. Wow, no wonder you're so messed up." Natsumi laughed, giving Sasuke a taunting look. "Man you are just like what my dad said you'd be. And how about. 'Damn, that's some woman who can take down an Uchiha'. Cause I bet I could kick your ass too."

Sasuke didn't even grace her with a glance, instead keeping his gaze on his son. "Akito is weak, that is why you beat him. He has yet to reach my level." Akito's body grew even stiffer at the insult to his abilities. Half of the things he knew how to do his father didn't even know about, so how did he have room to judge?

Natsumi glared at the man. No one was allowed to make Akito feel like crap except for her. She grabbed onto the bars of her cell and glared hatefully at the elder Uchiha. "Where the hell do you get off calling me weak you jerk! I am the strongest shinobi in the world! You're just mad because you could never beat my dad. And now you're taking out your frustration with your son, who's probably better than you. So why don't you just back off!"

Sasuke was before her then, sharingan activated. She met his gaze, unafraid of the possible consequences. "Know your place, little girl." He growled, sending her into a genjutsu. Natsumi went wide eyed, her grip on the bars tightened as he face contorted into a look of pain. She held back a scream and the next thing Sasuke knew she slammed her head against the bar, jarring her from the genjutsu immediately. She breathed out harshly, feeling the trail of blood run down her face from the impact. She glanced up, her vision a bit red. Her glare shifted into a familiar one, menacing to even the Uchiha. A glare that had only been seen on Sabaku no Gaara. "You're so pathetic…" she sneered.

His eyes narrowed as he realized that that was the same glare he had been given by that Tomoyo girl a while back. Which meant that it had been her. She was looking for his son, meaning that she was trying to use her feminine wiles to distract him from what was important. She was the reason he was failing in everyday life. Glaring hatefully at her, his eyes spun into that of the Mangekyou. He would show her pathetic. They entered the two dimensional world of his Tsukuyomi then. And Sasuke drew his sword, pointing it at Natsumi, who was tied to a post. "We'll see which one of us is pathetic after you endure seventy-two hours of extreme pain." He threatened, moving in to stab her in her lung, right below her heart. She just smirked, having heard about this type of genjutsu from her mother.

"Bring it failure." She snapped.

Before his sword could connect it was blocked by Akito's. Sasuke's eyes widened marginally. He didn't know that his son was strong enough to enter Tsukuyomi. "She is _my_ prisoner father. That means that she is _mine_ to do with what I will, and _mine_ to torture. Now get. _Out_." Akito said, glaring at his elder. It was actually the first time he had stood up to the man before.

They all came back to the real world once more, and Sasuke's surprise grew, since Akito had been the one to break the genjutsu. Without a word the elder Uchiha turned and left the room. Once they were alone, Akito sat back down in the chair and crossed his arms, glaring at the floor with his Mangekyou still activated. He was beyond pissed that his father was going to subject Natsumi to that torture. Nobody was allowed to harm her. _Nobody_. Natsumi blinked, looking around and noticing she had collapsed to the floor. It seemed the effects of Tsukuyomi were greater than she anticipated. She finally focused on Akito and sighed, "Why did you do that?"

He looked up at her, eyes still red. "I wasn't going to just sit back and subject you to that. You have no idea what being in that world is like. It put my Sensei in the hospital for over a week and me almost an entire one. Lord only knows how long you would have been unconscious, since you don't hold the Sharingan." He said. The only reason he had been put through that genjutsu was because it was one of his father's ways of training him. He would never forget the amount of pain he had gone through.

She crawled closer to him, still looking boldly into his sharingan. Ever since their childhood she could never see the sharingan as a weapon, since it had been her savior. "I'm sorry…" she said softly.

His gaze became a tender one and he went over to her. Hesitantly, he reached out and stroked her cheek lightly with his fingertips through the bars. "Don't be." He said, eyes finally turning back to their dark green. His brow furrowed as he retracted his hand. "Sorry, I know you're still upset. I will request that you get a new guard. I don't want to hurt you any more than I already have. The only reason I asked to watch over you was to see you, but I can see now that it was a mistake."

"Why would you leave me with him…?" she asked seriously, she knew his presence hurt her. But odd enough she felt safer when he came back to relieve his partner. Who in fact was not even a Konoha shinobi. "You can't…leave me…or he'll kill me."

"Why would he kill you? He is under orders from the Hokage to just watch over you until the Elders decide what course of action they want to take." Akito said, confusion evident on his features.

She gave him an annoyed look, there was no way he didn't know that the other guard was an imposter. "Because," she explained. "He _told_ me when you finally got tired of babysitting me he was going to kill me. He's not from Konoha!"

He gave her a skeptical look. "I think if he wasn't a Konoha shinobi someone would have figured it out by now."

"Obviously not." She glared. "Why won't you believe me? What reason have I to lie? You make me angry and I'm begging you to stay with me. What about this makes it seem like I'm trying to play you?" she huffed, crossing her arms the best she could. He opened his mouth to speak but the door to the dungeon opened and Minako walked in holding a tray of food.

Natsumi's glare shifted to the woman. This was the worst part of her incarceration. That stupid woman was the one to bring her food _and_ she was nice about it. That's what pissed her off the most. If someone had tried to kill her she would not be friendly to them no matter what.

"Hello Natsumi-chan! I brought you your meal for the day." Minako said cheerily, walking up to the cell. She squat down and unlocked the small door where you could put food through. Sliding the tray in, she shut the door and smiled at the pink haired woman. "I made cookies the other day, so I brought you some. They give people so little to eat here, it's just rude." She rambled.

"Minako, they're prisoners. They aren't supposed to be treated well." Akito said, giving his friend an odd look.

She huffed and crossed her arms. "Whatever. That doesn't mean that I can't be nice to Natsumi-chan. She's my friend."

"Did I really hit you that hard? Cause I tried to kill you, why on earth would that make us friends?" she demanded and then smelled the meal Minako had made her. She refused to let Minako see her eat it, since she didn't understand why she was so kind. Unfortunately her stomach betrayed her and grumbled loudly, needing some sort of nourishment for the day.

"You don't remember when we were kids and you played at my house? I don't know, ever since then I kind of considered us friends. I mean, if we weren't at war, I would like to think that we would be." She said bashfully, scratching the back of her head.

Natsumi blinked and stared at her in shock. "Yeah I remember that but…that was one afternoon…and I've still tried to kill you…" she tried to argue. It was really hard to be mad at this girl when she was so darn nice.

She waved it off. "Yeah but we're at war, so it's only natural." Then she gestured to the tray of food. "Let me know if you like it or not. Actually, is there anything in particular you want to eat? I don't really know what people in Suna eat so if you want something from there I'm not entirely sure I'll be able to make it right."

"No…this is alright." She said softly, looking away then. "I don't mind anything really. Plus anything that's my favorite I prefer to just let my mother do it. She's a culinary genius." She looked between the two, feeling an overwhelming sadness wash over her. "So…you two are going to be getting married in about three weeks…"

Akito stiffened at the sensitive subject, not understanding why Natsumi was bringing it up. Minako glanced at him apprehensively and looked away. "Yeah. Everything's all set up…"she trailed off, not wanting to go into details with Akito there. She already knew how he felt on the matter, and even though her opinion was similar, she was still excited about having her dream wedding. Because she liked to look on the positive side of things. And she knew that Natsumi wasn't happy about it, so she didn't want to rub it in by going on and on about her upcoming nuptials.

The pink haired woman glanced at Akito, watching him closely before turning her jade gaze back to Minako. "Well, I hope it's just like you always dreamed. A wedding is a big deal. I'm sure you'll both be very happy." She turned away from them then, needing to pace to keep her mind clear.

Minako smiled hesitantly at her. "Thank you Natsumi-chan, it means a lot." She looked at Akito then. "If you don't require anything then I will be heading out now." She said, rocking back on her heels.

"No, you may leave." He replied, not even looking at her. Nodding her head slightly, Minako left the room, shutting the door quietly behind her.

"She'll be a good wife." Natsumi sighed, staring at the wall sadly. "I can see why you'd marry her. She's really nice and caring. Plus, she follows your orders without so much as an objection." She kneeled down, idling playing with a stone she had found on the floor the other day. It was her only source of entertainment in this awful place. She stood up and looked back at him then, "But it also makes sense why you would have an affair with me. She's not very spontaneous and I'm pretty damn unpredictable." She smirked, looking back at the wall. "I suppose it was foolish for me to think you would actually marry me. After all you're from a clan. You guys want pretty little obedient wives who sit there silently. And I could care less about rules." She let out a long sigh and sat down, with her back facing him. She reached over and grabbed the tray Minako had brought and took a bit out of a cookie. It was good, really good, but nothing like her mothers. But she'd just keep that information to herself. "You made the correct and practical choice."

Akito ran his hand through his hair in agitation. "I didn't choose her. The Elders did. They spoke to our parents and arranged the whole thing behind our backs, and then told us about it. Minako is only agreeable to it because it is for the good of the village. She knows I'm not happy about the wedding, which is why she doesn't speak about it when I'm around." He walked back towards the chair, but decided not to sit. Instead he turned back to her. "Actually, I heard from a very reliable source that she has the hots for your brother." He said, smirking slightly.

She rolled her eyes, "I could tell that much. She can just go join the fan club and if she goes anywhere near my brother I'll just have to kill her." She picked up some of the grapes and tossed a few in her mouth. She'd be damned if she'd allow what happened to her to happen to her brother. "I won't let her make my brother her play thing as you did me."

"Minako would never do that, she's too nice. And I never thought of you as a play thing, so don't go putting words in my mouth." He said angrily, going back and sitting in the chair, crossing his arms.

She just laughed, glancing back at him. "Oh, my bad. Forgive me. What do you call the mistress of an engaged man?"

"Well, if you want to put a label on it, I guess you can be called my booty call, since that's what everyone else thinks you are. _I_, on the other hand, always have and still do think of you as my pre-fiancé." He said, looking at the wall.

"You don't get a fiancé _and _a pre-fiancé. That's just stupid." She huffed.

"Yeah, but I only want one of them. The other is just kinda there." He replied.

She sighed, it was hard to not believe him. But he had lied to her before. Why wouldn't he do it now? She tapped the ground as she thought, leaving them in a still silence. "I really don't want to talk about this anymore." She said, looking towards the door then as she heard the one to the outer dungeon close. She got up and went over to the bars, grabbing them tightly. "You can't leave me here with him. He's been talking about it for the past two days. He just can't help bragging how he's going to kill me."

"And how is he going to kill you Natsumi?" he asked as he stood, humoring her

She glared at him, "Fine." She snapped. "Then go away already." She released the bars and stepped back, looking over as the door opened. The other guard walked in, running his hand through his dark brown hair.

"You're relieved Akito. Enjoy your break." He nodded, his gaze locking on Natsumi instantly with a dark smirk. "The little bird been behaving?"

Akito just rolled his eyes and left the room. Once he was in the hall he paused, taking in the situation. Natsumi had genuinely been worried, something he knew she wouldn't be under normal circumstances. And now that he thought about it, he had never seen that man around the village before, and he knew everyone that lived in Konoha. Even the secret Anbu, since he had snuck a peek at all of the files when he joined the ranks. You could never be too careful. Coming up with an excuse quickly Akito turned around and headed back to the room. He opened the door quickly and paused, taking in the scene before him. The man was inside the cell, which no one was allowed in, pushing Natsumi against the wall with a kunai at the back of her throat. "You stupid sand bitch." He seethed, "I'm so damn tired of seeing your flawless face on the battle fronts. You murdered my wife and my brother with that stupid smile on your face. I was lucky enough to get assigned to you while I was infiltrating this worthless village. Now I will get my revenge."

Before he knew what hit him, Akito was inside the cell and pulled the man off of Natsumi, throwing him against the bars. He quickly disarmed the enemy ninja, and turned him around so that he was now looking directly into his Mangekyou. "It isn't her fault that the ninja from your pathetic village are weak." He said, his voice low. Then he sent the man spiraling into his Tsukuyomi. Once his screams died down, he sank to the floor on his knees, eyes wide at the horrors he had just finished enduring. It had only been a matter of seconds, but to him, it had felt like days. Then Akito picked up the fallen kunai and stabbed it into the man's neck, causing blood to spray out of the wound and all over his clothes. After the light left the man's eyes, Akito grabbed him by the collar and tossed his limp body out of the cell. Turning around, he deactivated his sharingan and walked over to Natsumi. "Are you alright?" he asked, voice full of concern.

She tore her gaze from the man, looking up at Akito with an angry glare. She seemed to be glaring a lot lately and it almost made her think if it was this tiring for Satomi to do it all the time as well. "I told you," she said pointedly. She hadn't been afraid, but there was only so much she could do with her chakra sealed and her arms bound. It threw her off balance a little and she hadn't really accounted for the kunai. But that was careless on her part. "And I'm fine. I don't need your help."

His kind gaze turned to a light glare. "Hey, I believed you enough to come back didn't I? And from where I was standing, it looked like you needed my help. So excuse me for caring about your life. I already said that I can't live without you, and I wasn't going to let some half-rate ninja kill you."

She let out an irritated yell. "Oh my god! You are like _the_ most confusing person I have ever met! You can't keep saying things like that after you ripped my heart out and picked some big breasted, quiet, nice girl over me! It just doesn't work! That's not fair to me! Unless this was your plan all along to torture the hell out of me and distract me so I'd focus all my attention on you! If that's the case, good freaking job. You win!"

He stared at her in shock for a moment, and then found his voice. "I already said four days ago that I chose you! I almost went crazy when I thought you were going to die, I risked being considered a traitor by bringing you back here to be saved, and I even said that I can't live without you! I'm not good with emotions and expressing my feelings okay? You've seen my father, we Uchiha are messed up people. This is the best I can give you right now. What more do you want from me?" he asked, throwing his arms up in the air.

"I want you to love me!" she screamed back, her eyes brimming with tears that threatened to fall.

He looked at her, completely dumbfounded. "But…you hate me…" he said softly, trying to wrap his mind around what she was saying.

"God!" she yelled, hitting the back of her head against the wall. "You are such a moron!" she held her hands up, burying her face in her palms. "If I hated you why the hell would I try and kill myself because you betrayed me?"

He began to back out of the cell, eyes full of an unnamed emotion. If she meant what she was saying, than she was telling him that she loved him. He wasn't good when it came to love, had never really experienced such a thing before. Once he was out of the cell his face went completely blank and he shut the door. "I need time to think." He said, quickly picking up the dead body on the opposite wall. Then he hastily left the room, not uttering another word or looking back at her. He didn't know what to think or say in that moment, and so the best thing to do would be to inform the Hokage about the infiltration and go train. He always thought best when he was training.

She looked up after a while, seeing she was alone for the first time in days. She needed to get out of this place before Akito could break her completely. She reached up above her head and pulled something sharp from the place between her headband and the Suna metal forehead protector. She would break out, steal the information she needed, and then leave. She placed the small knife in her mouth, clenching it with her teeth and began to cut the ropes binding her wrists little by little. It would take a while but she would be free soon enough.


	21. Avowal

**Magnetism **

_Chapter Twenty-one _

-Avowal-

Natsumi sat against the back wall, watching the door intently. It had been fourteen hours since she last saw Akito. Surprisingly, the Hokage had been foolish enough to leave her alone before sending another guard. She kept her wrists together, with the now loose rope draped to appear as if she were still bound. She had already peeled off her chakra seal and was ripe with power. The door opened slowly and Minako walked in hesitantly. "Hello Natsumi," she smiled, holding another tray. It was now time to play off this girl's emotions.

"Thanks Minako." She said truthfully. She actually was grateful for her kindness. It helped remind her there actually were decent people out in the world. Even if this was the woman stealing away the love of her life. Minako came to the cell door and slid the food under as was her routine. But before she could turn to leave, Natsumi called out for her. "Minako! I'm sorry, I don't mean to take advantage of your kindness but I have this insane itch in the middle of my back. I can't get it because of the way my hands are tired." She sighed, appearing distraught. "If it's no trouble would you get it for me? It's so silly, but I just can't seem to get at it with anything."

The dark haired girl blinked and then gave her friend a small smile. "Of course Natsumi-chan. I'd be happy to and it's no trouble as all." She assured her, taking the key out and unlocking the cell, she came in and Natsumi stood as she got closer. That was when she noticed the frown on the pink haired woman's face.

"I'm really sorry Minako…you were really nice to me…and that's why I'm not going to kill you." She sighed and jumped her before she could react, pulling the rope around Minako's neck and pulling it tighter so she couldn't breathe. She moved behind her, shutting her eyes so she wouldn't have to witness it. Soon enough, the girl stopped moving and became limp. Natsumi laid her down gently and touched her neck, healing the wounds she had given her. She scanned her body and let out a relieved sigh. She would be just fine, just unconscious for a while.

Natsumi stood then, dropping the rope and stealing Minako's kunai holster and attaching it to her thigh. She hurried from the cell, shutting the door and then running out of the dungeon. She stopped coming to the exit and feeling around for any presences. When she felt none she snuck out and looked down the halls. By the angle of the sun it looked like it was late in the day, probably around four in the afternoon. She stealthily made her way towards the locked rooms of Konoha, stopping when she found the correct room. She picked the lock with her small knife and broke in easily. She started pulling down scrolls, looking through the plans. They were all assault plans for different countries. But she needed the ones for Suna. She walked around the room and then noticed one laying on a desk near the back. She picked it up and examined the date. It was going to happen exactly one week from now! She rolled up the scroll, folding it and shoving it into her stolen kunai holster. This was just the upper hand Suna needed. It was a good plan too. It might have worked had she not seen it.

But now it was time to leave. She exited the room, closing it quietly. Then an idea struck her. Why wait for Suna to be attacked? She was right here in the heart of the city and she could do some real damage. She smirked, letting her sand swarm around her violently and began her assault on the Tower. After destroying all the support beams she leapt out from a window and watched as it began to crash down, falling onto another building. The whole tower hadn't fallen, but enough of it to create a bit of an aftershock.

She took off then, letting her sand rip apart the buildings she passed. They had no idea what was happening to their village, though if they were smart enough they would know it was her. She glanced back, sensing four signatures trying to follow her. She slid to a stop and faced them off, engaging them in taijutsu as they attempted to stop her. She brought her hands together and then forced them out, impaling all four at the same time. She let them fall lifelessly as her sand slid back to her.

Natsumi took a deep breath and then went wide eyed, turning around at the presence she felt, ready to attack. She blinked and looked down seeing two young girls, stark white and wide eyed. Suddenly, she didn't feel so noble. The girls made her think of Suna and how despite the fact they were at war. They were still a village and had plenty of innocent people. "Don't worry…I'm not going to hurt you." She promised, dashing off to the side and leaving them back. Now she just wanted to get home. She couldn't destroy this place anymore with the thought of all the innocent people she might kill.

A hand wrapped around her wrist and jerked her into an alley as she passed. She attempted to scream, only to have a hand silence her. The next thing she saw made her go wide eyed. And the only thing she could remember before everything went dark was an angry gaze of crimson red.

Akito caught her before she hit the ground, lifting her in his arms bridal style. He should have known she would find a way to escape. It was just so her. Before they could get caught by the ninja he felt coming their way, he used his superior speed and took her to his house. His father was gone on a mission, so he wouldn't get in trouble for bringing her there.

He took her back to his room and laid her on his bed gently, moving the hair out of her face as he pulled away and stood. She was just so beautiful. He had done a lot of thinking since he had seen her last, and had come to a conclusion. One that he knew would change his life forever. But he would wait until she awoke before sharing this information with her. And once everything had calmed down in the village, he would help her escape. He didn't want her to go back to that cell. She had a free-spirit, and didn't deserve to be cooped up. Plus, he had heard a rumor that the Elders wanted her publicly executed, without so much as an attempt at negotiating with Suna for her life and safe return. He really hated the Elders. They just needed to go off and die.

Since it would be a while before she woke up, he took a quick shower, having gotten all sweaty from his training. He had been on his way home from the fields when he had sensed Natsumi's chakra and seen the Hokage Tower collapse. He hoped Minako was okay, but didn't care enough to go check. Natsumi was his priority right now. Walking into his room in nothing but a towel, he noted that she was still asleep. He went over to his closet and got dressed in his normal attire of black pants and a black shirt with the Uchiha symbol on the back. Then he went into the kitchen and began to cook Natsumi some smoked salmon, mashed potatoes and asparagus, figuring that she probably hadn't eaten yet. Arranging the food neatly on a plate, he made her a glass of ice water and put it on a tray. Then he went back into his room and set it down on his nightstand. Since she was still unconscious, he walked over to his window and peered out of it, watching the sky for any activity. No doubt people were still on the lookout for her, and would continue to be for quite some time. Sighing, he sat down at his desk and angled his chair so that it was facing his bed. Now all he could do was wait.

When she finally did wake up, she groaned loudly, helping herself up and holding her head with one of her hands. "What happened?" she asked herself, beginning to look around and take in the scene. She realized quickly that she was on a soft bed. "What the…?"

"You're finally awake." Akito said softly.

She jerked around, yelling in the process, her abrupt movements making her fall off the bed and hit the ground. She groaned again, now from pain. She stared up at the ceiling and then at her legs, seeing herself tangled in his dark silk sheets. She forced herself up and peered over the bed at him, seeing that he had gotten up when she had fallen. "What the heck is going on!"

"I found you, knocked you out with my Sharingan, and brought you here. There is food on the nightstand. I figured you hadn't eaten yet." He said, gesturing to the meal he had made her. Luckily it was still fairly hot.

She glanced over at the offered meal and then back at him. "Is this some sort of trap…?" she asked, placing her hand on her stomach. She was really hungry, but she didn't know what to do. It was odd that he had brought her to his house and not placed her in a cell, or even bound her for that matter.

He chuckled and shook his head. "No, it isn't. I will even taste the food if that will quell your fears." He said, walking over to her. He held out his hand in order to help her off the floor. "Once you eat you will need to stay here for a while until the commotion dies down. Then I will help you get out of the village."

She watched him warily, looking down at his offered hand. Was he serious? Slowly, she placed her hand in his, not sure why she did actually trust him. "Why would you help me escape?" she asked, suspicion apparent in her tone.

He lifted her off the floor, placing his arm around her waist to steady her once she was standing. "Because, the Elders wanted to execute you. And now that you have escaped, your death is that much more certain. I will not allow you to die, so I brought you here. The place least likely to be searched. By now they probably think you are long gone anyways." He explained.

She nodded, grabbing his hand and removing it from her waist. It made her uncomfortable that he thought he could still touch her in such a manner. She sat back down on his bed and glanced over at the food he had made her. She _was_ starving, so she grabbed it and began to eat silently. It didn't take her long to finish and when she did she set the plate back down on his side table, downing the water and letting out a refreshed breath. She blinked and looked up at him, noting he had not stopped looking at her the whole time. "Why are you staring at me? It's freaking me out."

"You love me." He stated, needing to know for sure.

She went wide eyed, unable to control her shock from his words. But immediately replaced her surprised expression. "So what." She said sharply. "I won't let you take advantage of it."

He walked forward and leaned down so that his face was centimeters from hers, placing his hands on either side of her. "I would never do such a thing to the woman I love." He said, telling her what he discovered while he had trained. And it was true. He did love her. He loved everything about her. From her psychotic side to her caring side, he loved everything that made up Natsumi. And he had finally admitted it. This was the most vulnerable he had ever made himself, and only hoped that she didn't reject him.

Her eyes widened once more, too stunned to even move from his grasp and get a better look at his face. "Wh-what?" she stuttered, unable to believe what she had heard. It didn't seem possible.

"I did a lot of thinking yesterday, about what you said. And came to the conclusion that the reason you affect me so is because I love you. I love you, Sabaku no Natsumi." He repeated, smiling slightly. It made him really happy to say it to her, it was as if he was lifting a huge weight off his chest.

She tried her best to keep the smile off her face, but she felt like she was soaring and could do nothing but say stupid things. "You really love me?" she asked, needing all the assurance she could get from him. This was huge, she'd never hung so desperately on someone's words before but she just needed to hear him say it one more time.

"Yes. I think you are the only person I am capable of loving, if that makes sense. It's like my heart calls out to you." He said, his smile widening at the sight of her own. He hadn't seen her smile in what felt like ages, and he was glad that he had taken her pain away.

"Oh Akito," she gasped out, leaning up and pressing her lips against him. She wound her hands around his neck and pulled him closer to her body, deepening their kiss. "I love you Akito," she whispered against hips lips, not letting her words break apart their heated moment.

"I know, I don't deserve it." He responded, kissing her passionately. When they broke for air he pulled back slightly and reached into his pocket. "I would like it very much, if you would continue to wear this." He said, holding up her chain necklace that had his ring on it.

Her eyes widened and she took in gently in her hands, placing it back around her neck securely. "Of course," she promised. She touched it then, grasping it firmly and smiling up at him. "I'm sorry I threw it at you."

"Don't be, I deserved it." He said, placing his forehead against hers. "I missed you so much over the past two months Squirt. The distance was killing me."

"I missed you too," she giggled, lacing her fingers with his. "Sorry I went insane and tried to murder your friend and then kill myself and frame you for it. Sometimes I just can't control myself," she laughed and then froze. "Wait a minute." She pulled away from him reluctantly. "What about Minako?"

"I will handle Minako. Once I explain everything to her she will understand. She's great like that. I suppose that's why she is my best friend, other than Haru." He said, kissing her. "Besides, we can always try and set her up with your brother. You know, to cushion the blow of losing a stud such as me." He said, smirking.

She glared up at him, placing her hands on his chest to keep him at bay. "I meant about the wedding. What are you going to do about that? I don't play second fiddle to anyone. And you better not lie to me, ok? If you really love me you can't ever lie to me ever again."

"Well obviously the wedding will be called off. I mean, once I talk to Minako she and I will sit down with the Elders and our parents and explain that we have changed our minds about the marriage and don't want to go through with it." He told her, trying not to be annoyed with her for pushing the subject. It hurt that she was still doubtful of him, but he supposed that would take a while to mend. At the moment, he was trying really hard not to jump her. Here she was in his room, in his _bed_, and she had said that she loved him. He saw no reason for them not to take their relationship further, he wanted her so badly. But he wouldn't push her. After finally getting her back, he would be damned if he ruined it now.

"Alright…" she began, giving him a serious look. "Prove it."

He didn't need any further prompting. If she wanted him to prove that he was serious about his feelings for her and their relationship, then he would show her the only way he knew how. Through his actions. He leaned forward, placing his lips over hers in a slow, gentle kiss. As time went on he deepened it, its passion growing steadily. Pulling away for air, he asked, "How is this for proving it?"

Her eyes fluttered open, having closed in their kiss. She stared at him for a moment before smiling. "I'll need more intimate proof than that." She whispered, grabbing his shirt and falling back onto his bed, dragging him with her.

He smiled down at her and kissed her once more, reaching up and untying her belt. He peeled it away, opening her shirt in the process, revealing a lacy black bra. He brought his hand up and began to trace the edge of the fabric with his fingertips. "Allow me to show you my love Princess." He said, kissing a trail down her neck.

She nodded, lifting her hands and running them through his dark locks. "Show me and I will give you my body and the only thing you've yet to claim as my own proof."

Lavishing her neck with kisses and nips, he reached around her and unhooked her bra. Then he pushed the lacy material up and out of his way, beginning to play with her left breast as he bit the juncture where her neck met her shoulder and licking it in order to soothe the red area.

She moaned loudly, arching into his touch. It had been a long time since she'd been like this with him. She lowered her hands and grabbed his shirt tightly, pulling it over his head, only disrupting his actions for a moment. She needed him at least as undressed as she was. She would not be in another situation where he was fully clothed and free to do as he pleased with her body. "I say we cut the foreplay and just do it." She breathed out, gasping when his lips found a new area to tease on her chest.

"Hm, I don't know. I kind of enjoy listening to the noises you make." He said against her chest, beginning a path down her flat stomach.

She bit down on her lip, trying not to give into the sensations he was causing her. "Please…I can't take much more waiting." She whined, placing her hand on his head, gripping his hair tightly.

He slid his fingers underneath the waistband of her shorts and yanked, pulling them, along with her underwear down and off her legs. Then he took off her boots as he made his way back up towards her. "But you know…prisoners must be punished, and I never got the chance to torture you while you were in that cell." He said. He resumed kissing her toned stomach, making his way towards her pelvis, resting his hands on her thighs.

Her breath hitched and she looked down at him, between her legs. An enormous blush spread across her face, she had obviously never done anything of the sort before. She covered her mouth with one of her hands, biting down on her index finger. She hated how helpless she felt, like she wouldn't be able to do anything if he turned on her. She shook the thoughts from her head. She couldn't think like that. He had said that he loved her and she knew it to be true, or else why would he be risking the things he was?

He spread her legs and finally saw what made her a woman. Looking up at her, he locked gazes with hers and slowly leaned forward. He licked her slit, pleasantly surprised at how she tasted. Wanting to see if she liked it, he continued such actions, rubbing her inner thighs as he did so. "Oh Akito!" she cried out in bliss, returning her hand to his hair and forcing him down. She arched her back, her toes curling at the pure ecstasy shooting through her. Whatever he was doing felt amazing, more amazing than anything else she had ever felt before. "Don't…stop…" she panted loudly. She would have to repay him in a similar manner when he was finished, she would never allow him to go unrewarded for this.

Smirking against her wet folds, he circled his tongue around her sensitive bundle of nerves. Then he slipped his tongue into her inviting hole, licking her inner walls eagerly. His right hand moved so that it could rub her clit as he licked her insides, wanting to maximize her pleasure. He was enjoying the fact that he was pleasing her so well, for he hadn't lied when he had said he would show her the extent of his love for her in his actions. She arched further, she could feel the heat rising in her body, mostly near her pelvis. Something was building and it was dying to be released. Her mind was absolutely blank, nothing existed besides them. She sat up abruptly when his tongue hit a spot inside her that fully awakened her. She looked down at him, unable to catch her breath. She could feel herself about to release, but she wanted that to happen only when they were fully joined. She cupped his face and pulled him up, kissing him sweetly and getting a taste of herself.

"Please let me show you now," she whispered, pushing him down on the bed and straddling his waist. She gave him another chaste kiss and then began trailing them down his neck, nipping at the crook of his neck. She continued down his chest and then his abs, stopping only when she came to the hem of his pants. She could see his need even now and she wanted to please him. She quickly unzipped his pants and slid them, along with his boxers, down and tossed them to the side. She removed his shoes as well, doing as he had done to her. She positioned herself between his legs and looked nervously at his manhood. She'd never actually been head to head with it before. She glanced up at him, locking her jade gaze with his beautiful forest green.

She gripped him slowly, starting out slow as she began to rub her hands up and down, mostly experimenting to see what his reaction would be. He let his head fall back as he groaned softly. Her touch set him on fire, and he liked what she was doing to him. It was even better than when they had been in the hot springs. She smiled victoriously, her boldness rising. Now that she knew she was doing the right thing, she would make him feel just as good as he had made her feel. With a deep breath, she lowered her head and took his full length, knowing at least that this was what men liked.

"Oh God." He said breathlessly, bringing a hand down and gripping her hair, his other one fisting in his sheets. Her mouth was so warm and wet. He wondered vaguely if being inside her would feel this good. He began to pant, his body being overwhelmed with the sensations she was causing him to feel.

She continued her actions until her need for air overwhelmed her. She came up taking a deep breath, trying to regulate her racing heart. She let her hands wrap around him once more and smiled up at him. "Does it feel good Akito?" she teased, now only tracing one of her fingers lightly up and down his shaft, teasing the tip once she reached it.

He was panting by now, and in a great effort sat up so that he could see her better. "You have no idea how amazing that feels. But if you keep doing that, we'll have to wait a while before actually becoming one." He teased, smiling at her. It had taken all of his willpower to hold on until she was done.

She pushed him back down, crawling up and straddling his waist. She pressed her hips against his, rubbing her lower region against his and holding back a moan. "Then we should do it already." She smirked, watching his pleasured face.

He grabbed her waist and rolled so that he was on top of her. He entered her swiftly, groaning as she let out a gasp. He held his body perfectly still and looked down at her in concern. "I'm not hurting you too badly am I?" he asked.

She looked as if she were in pain and hit him weakly, "You big jerk you're supposed to take it slow on the first time in." she gasped out, her insides trying to adapt to this foreign object quickly. She gripped his arms tightly, taking her time to breath. It had hurt but now that he was fully inside her she could feel everything forming to him.

"I am taking it slow. Notice how I'm not even moving." He pointed out. He cocked his head to the side and his brow furrowed. "I figured it was kind of like a Band-Aid. The faster you get it over with the less it hurts." He said. But now he felt like a complete idiot, and was upset that he had hurt her.

She actually laughed, smiling up at him. "No you're probably right. I just wasn't as ready as I thought I was and I didn't think you'd just go straight for the kill." She snickered, reaching up and cupping his face with her hands. "It's ok. I think I'm ready now." She told him, pulling his face down and kissing him. "Go as hard as you want, the faster I get used to it the better it will feel. Use my body to its full extent." She whispered, biting down softly on his lower lip.

He kissed her passionately as he began to move slowly within her, testing out the feel of being inside of her. It was even better than her mouth. Taking her words at face value, he sped up, his pleasure increasing immensely. She bit down on her lip, it burned at first, but slowly she could feel why this was such a wonderful activity. She moaned loudly, wrapping her legs around his waist and forcing him deeper inside of her. "Akito!" she gasped loudly, gripping tightly onto his shoulders.

At the sound of his name he went even faster, making sure that every thrust hit that same spot in her that his tongue had earlier. He wanted her first release to be so earth shattering that she never forgot it.

She couldn't hold out anymore and as much as she wanted to continue it felt too good to hold in this fiery sensation. "Akito," her grip tightened and she brought him closer to her, needing his tight embrace. "I'm going to…" she breathed out, not even able to finish her sentence before she felt herself explode from his love making. She shouted out in pure ecstasy, arching into his form. At the feel of her walls contracting around him, he thrust harder, joining her in ecstasy with a loud moan, holding her to his body tightly. Catching his breath, he remained inside her for a few minutes, unwilling to leave. But he didn't want to crush her with his body, so he slowly withdrew and lay on his back next to her.

"We will definitely be doing that again in the future." He said once he regained his breath, turning his head to look at her.

She had her eyes closed, catching her breath as well. She felt so good and complete. She looked over at him and smiled. "Yes, definitely. That was amazing." She reached up and touched his face lovingly. "I love you…" she turned on her side then, snuggling into his sheets. She was so exhausted though.

He rolled onto his side as well and pulled her to him. Then he grabbed his comforter and sheets and covered their bodies. Wrapping his arms protectively around her, he kissed her forehead before laying his head on his pillow. "I love you Natsumi." He sighed out, looking down into her beautiful eyes. She felt her smile grow and nuzzled into his hold. This was absolutely perfect and she could allow herself to relax for the second time in her enemy's arms. She let her eyes close and let herself drift to sleep. After he was sure she was sound asleep, Akito shut his eyes. They had been through so much together over the past week and a half, he was glad that things were finally starting to simmer down. Burying his face in her hair, he sighed in contentment as sleep took him.


	22. Cloud Nine

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Twenty-two_

-Cloud Nine-

When the sunlight hit Akito's face he opened his eyes. At the feel of something soft and warm in his arms, he looked down and was met with a head of pink hair. Natsumi had turned in her sleep, and now her back was pressed against his front. He moved his hand from her hip up her side slowly and nuzzled her neck. "Oh Princess." He said softly, kissing her underneath her ear. She moved a bit in his arms, seeming to snuggle further into his hold. She felt amazing, wrapped tightly in his silk sheets with his body pressed against hers. It was like a dream. Her eyes opened then as she thought about it. It _was_ like a dream and eventually you always woke up.

"I don't want to wake up." She whispered sadly.

He brought his hand up and cupped her cheek, turning her head so that she faced him. Stroking her cheek, he gave her a tender look. "I know, but your Prince requires your attention." He said, kissing her sweetly.

She kissed him back, smiling slightly. Until he felt it disappear, "But if I wake up, then my dream will end, and I'll have to go back to Suna."

"But when you're back in Suna, you can dream of me rescuing you. Don't forget my promise to come get you whenever you wished. I meant it." He told her.

She looked up at him sadly, "But I don't want to fight you anymore."

"I do not wish to fight you either. Perhaps, until I get this whole wedding thing sorted out, we should try and avoid running into each other. That way it isn't suspicious. Because if we do meet up, and either of our teams are present, it will be expected that you and I kill each other. The Hokage suspects that there is something between us and ordered me to get rid of you. I can't…I won't do it."

She nodded slowly, "The council brought me forth with every intention of executing me…but my brother defended us. I'm not sure why, but he cleared all the suspicions. But I was to kill you the next time I saw you." She snuggled into his grasp, never wanting to leave the comforts of his bed and his arms. "I love you Akito." She whispered, kissing him softly.

He kissed her back, their contact becoming more passionate. "I love you too Natsumi." He said against her lips. She lifted her hands up his chest and cupped his face with her hands, keeping their contact. She bit down on his lip, then tracing her tongue against his delicate lips. When he complied with what she wished she let their battle for dominance begin once again.

Wanting to show his dominance, he rose up on his hands without breaking their contact and moved so that he was over her. Then his hand began to slide down her neck and to her collar slowly. It made its way between her breasts, and then stopped just below her left one, resting on her ribs. He ran his thumb across the underside of her breast, just barely teasing the sensitive skin. If she wanted him to touch her, he was going to make her beg for it. She let out a soft moan from his antics, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer. She broke their kiss then and sighed sadly. "We can't…it's too dangerous for me to stay here any longer." She frowned sadly, but it was true. She had allowed herself to take refuge in his home, but it was only a matter of time before they came and questioned him. It would do neither of them any good if the Konoha shinobi found her here. "I can feel them coming."

He laid his forehead against hers and sighed. "I know. I can too." He sat up then and ran his hand through his hair. He looked down at her and smiled slightly. "How are you feeling by the way? Not too sore?" he asked, rubbing her stomach soothingly. He had read somewhere that after a girl's first time she could be sore from the activities, and he hadn't exactly taken things slowly last night. His tender touch made her heart flutter, she wanted so badly to stay with him.

"I'll be fine, it just feels different is all. But I'm a ninja, I can handle anything." She smiled brightly, letting her hands trail up his arms as she gripped his muscles. He was just so gorgeous, it was hard to believe such a perfect male specimen existed. He leant down and gave her a quick peck on the cheeks.

"We should get dressed, otherwise I might just take you prisoner and keep you in my bed for all eternity." She was so beautiful, and seeing her, naked and in his bed, made him so happy. This was what he wanted to wake up to every morning. This was how he wanted to feel every day. But their countries were at war, so this could never be. Not until he turned traitor that is, and he was still a little unsure about that. But those thoughts could wait for later. Right now he needed to help Natsumi escape, and then find Minako so he could talk to her about cancelling their wedding.

She smiled up at him, seeming to sense his thoughts. "I know, I wish it could be forever too." She reached up, touching his cheek tenderly. At least now he knew she was still clinging to her village as well. She sat up then, giving him another kiss. The moment was cut short when they felt the chakra get even closer. Without another word the both got out of bed, dressing quickly. Natsumi tied her obi tightly and pulled on her shoes with the support of the bed. Finally securing the kunai she had stolen to her thigh. When she was done she looked up at him, seeing he was finished as well. "Ready?"

"No, but let's go anyways." He said, leading her out of his house and into the Uchiha Prefecture. He grabbed her hand and led her through the compound, stopping when they reached one of the walls. He reached out and pressed an area of the stone, causing a small section of the wall to give way, revealing an underground tunnel. He turned and looked at her. "When my ancestors built this place they put in many escape routes and passageways, just in case. Clans are never trusting of anyone, so this was a precaution in case they were attacked. This tunnel will lead us past the village gates and out into the forest." He explained.

She nodded and followed him into the dark tunnel that closed once they were inside. She moved closer to him, wanting as much contact as she could before she had to leave. They made it through the tunnel with ease and when they came to the end, he pushed against the wall leading them out into the forest, far away from the gates of Konoha. "Wow," she gasped, looking around at the familiar part of the forest. "Hm. Would have never suspected that was there."

He turned to her and took both of her hands in his. "This is as far as I can take you. It will be suspicious if they arrive at my house and I'm not there. Whenever you want to see me, or hide from the rest of the world for a while, use that tunnel. Just be sure that no one else discovers it."

She nodded, stepping closer to him and pressing her lips against his. "I promise, its location will go with me to the grave."

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately, not yet ready to see her go. "I love you. More than life itself." He said, stroking her cheek.

"I love you too," she smiled, pressing her body against his. "I promise I will always be yours…no matter what. And I would never do anything to hurt you."

"I know." He placed his forehead against hers and gave her a meaningful look. "Be careful. And, I will write you once the wedding arrangements have been taken care of, although it may take a while. Clan matters usually do."

She gave him one last kiss, mustering up all the passion she could. "I love you." She said once more, pulling away from him before she stayed longer. "I will see you again." She waved and then turned around, disappearing in a dash.

He watched her leave, and once she was gone, headed back into the tunnel. He wasn't looking forward to the days to come. It would be a difficult battle against the Elders, his father, and Minako's entire clan to stop this wedding. But Natsumi was worth it. Thoughts of their past night together came to mind then, and with renewed vigor, Akito made his way home, intent on taking care of this as soon as possible.

* * *

"What do you mean the plans are missing?" Akito asked, confused. After arriving home, he had gone straight to find Minako, who was in the hospital. Apparently she had gotten hit in the head when the Hokage Tower began to collapse while she was unconscious.

But before he could talk to her, Tsunade and Ibiki had come in, asking Minako all these questions about when Natsumi had escaped. That was when they said that the plans were missing.

Tsunade sighed. "Natsumi broke into our files, and stole our battle plans for Suna. All of the others are untouched."

His eyes widened. No. It couldn't be. No! Natsumi had said that she would never do anything to hurt him. And it had been a lie. That was when he realized it had all been a lie. From the very beginning. She had attempted suicide knowing that he would find her and bring her back to Konoha. Then, once she was healed, she could escape and steal the plans. To keep him from being suspicious, she had taken advantage of his feelings for her. Been his first, and used him to escape, undetected.

He couldn't believe he had been so stupid. He had completely opened himself up to her, brought her into his soul, given her part of himself, and had been stabbed in the back. His father was right, telling him not to trust anyone. Especially women. They were always after something, and Natsumi had gotten all that she'd wanted from him. Well, he would show her what happened when you betrayed an Uchiha. His mind came back to the hospital room, where Tsunade was saying something about cancelling the attack.

"No." he interrupted. At their inquisitive looks he continued. "We will modify the plans, but only slightly. I know who they will have lead their attack, so I will lead ours. Don't worry about the logistics, I will handle everything. And by the time the battle is over, Sabaku no Natsumi will be dead." He said with conviction.

The Hokage nodded. "Very well. You may put together a team, and I expect you to leave in three days' time."

He bowed respectfully before turning to leave. "Of course Hokage-sama. You can count on me." He left then, already forming plans in his head on how he was going to kill his betrayer.

* * *

Natsumi smiled when she saw her home appear on the horizon, she was glad to see it after so long and she wanted to see her family once more. After all, she had thought she would never see them again. She felt amazing, so happy and sad at the same time. She hadn't wanted to leave Akito, but it was time that she returned to Suna. He had said that he loved her and then made love to her. It was the best she had ever felt. He made her feel complete both emotionally and physically and she could not wait to try it again. Sex had been even better than she first imagined.

Finally she arrived at the gates, getting hellos from the guards as she continued in. She hurried through the streets, taking to the roofs in order to get to her home faster. She dropped down to her front door and rushed in about to announce that she was home. She blinked, feeling no one there. A sadness overwhelmed her, but she could wait until they all got home. After all it was nearly the end of the day. The pink haired woman headed up the steps and to her room, beginning to undress. She took off her shoes and then the kunai holster. She opened it, going to place the spare kunai with her own. She went wide eyed when she saw the scroll. "Oh my God." She dropped the holder and held her head with her hands. "Oh my God!" she yelled again. She had completely forgotten about the scroll she had stolen. But then again who would have possibly remembered such a trivial matter in the middle of such an amazing night. This was terrible, if Akito found out, he would be destroyed. She shook her head and picked up the scroll. It didn't matter that she had stolen it for Suna, she could not give them this or she would be hurting the love of her life.

She gripped it tightly, shutting her eyes as she tried to think. If she sent it back to Konoha, she would be turning her back on her village. But if she gave the scroll to her father, she would be betraying Akito. She gripped the area over her heart and felt the tears forming. She could never live with herself if she hurt Akito. She would send it back to him in a letter, explaining to him what had happened and how she forgot about it. That would fix things, right?

There was a knock on her door and she jumped, having not noticed the presence. "Natsumi?" Satomi's voice came behind the door. She went wide eyed and hurried towards her bed.

"Uh, hold on a minute!" she called, hiding the scroll under her pillow for the time being. She rushed towards her door and opened it to see her sister with her normal stoic face.

"Oh, Natsumi you are back. Mom and I just got home." She said simply, noting her sister's nervous look. It instantly vanished as she ran down the hall to go see her mother.

"Mom!" she cried happily, disappearing down the stairs.

Satomi stared after her, then into her sister's room. She was acting odd. And why would she come home first right after a mission? They were supposed to report to her father. She walked into Natsumi's room and glanced around. Everything seemed in order, until her eyes fell onto her pillow. How it was disturbed, and the rest of the bed remained perfect. She went over and grabbed the pillow, seeing the scroll beneath it. She grabbed the wrapped paper with the Konoha symbol on it and placed the pillow back down.

The medic unrolled the scroll and went wide eyed, this was very strange. This was exactly what she was supposed to steal, yet Natsumi had come home and not given it to their father. Her brow furrowed in confusion, until realization dawned upon her. "Uchiha." She cursed the name, her grip tightening and wrinkling the edges of the paper. "That damn Uchiha." She tried to control her rage. That stupid man was going to ruin her sister's life. How could Natsumi not see he was just playing her for a fool? She would not allow her sister to be manipulated.

It was then that an idea struck her. Even if by some odd chance the Uchiha truly had feelings for her sister, she would end it. She would pit them against one another in a battle where Natsumi would finally have to kill him. She took the scroll and walked out of the room, intent on giving this information to her father. If Akito thought Natsumi had betrayed him, he would try to kill her with no remorse, and in turn Natsumi would be forced to kill him. It was perfect.

She left her sister's room then, on her way to the Kage tower before her father came home. She needed to get him the plans as soon as possible. No doubt Konoha knew about their infiltration by now. They needed to counter this attack now and she would make sure Natsumi led it. After all, she deserved to be the commanding general after all the work to steal the plans.

Natsumi came back into her room after dinner, it had been wonderful to see everyone again. It was odd though, her father had told her he was so proud of her, but it was strange for him to say it out of nowhere. She sighed, shutting her door and going back to her bed. She grabbed her pillow and went wide eyed, terror filling her whole being. "Where is it?" she started pulling apart her bed. She ripped up the sheets and then flipped the mattress over, trying to find the scroll. "No…" she gasped.

She tore the rest of her room apart, not finding it anywhere. This was terrible! She fell to her knees, holding her face in her hands. Where had it gone? Had someone seen her hide it? With a sluggish movement, she straightened her room. She would find it, but she had to calm down and think. She sat down on her newly made bed and held her head with her hands once more. This was so bad. What would she tell Akito? And would he even believe her? Suddenly she felt her tears filling her hands. She could slowly feel her composure slipping. Maybe if she got a good night's sleep, she would be able to find it in the morning. With that shaky resolve, she climbed into bed and tried to sleep, but her dreams were only plagued with nightmares of what could be.


	23. Cataclysm

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Twenty-Three_

-Cataclysm-

Natsumi walked down the halls to the war meeting room. Her father had called one, deciding that they needed to attack Konoha head on and deal with them. She sighed, wondering what could have brought on such a motive. She pulled open the doors to the room and went wide eyed at what she saw. There on the large table in the center of the room were the plans for Konoha's attack. She tried to keep the surprise off her face, but her heart had literally stopped beating. Gaara looked up from his spot at the front of the table and gave his daughter a small smile. "Natsumi, you've finally arrived. We've been waiting for you. The council extends it congratulations on such a wonderful infiltration. I could not be more proud." He gestured to the table then and she saw the modifications that had been made.

"Now," Gaara began more professional sounding. Natsumi stopped when she was between her brother and her sister, both giving her suspicious looks when her frown etched into her features. "We know that Konoha is going to alter their plans but Satomi has advised me that they probably won't alter them too much, knowing we would think they would. Now as you can see the formations we have chosen are drawn out. And the one I have chosen to lead our army is my own daughter, Natsumi, since she was the one to retrieve the scroll.

The short pink haired woman went wide eyed and looked up at her father. "What?"

Everyone in the room turned to her then, shock apparent on their faces. It had always been the young girl's dream to be placed in full command of the army. So the reaction was not expected. "You are to be the Commanding officer for this operation." The Kazekage said once more.

"Um, I don't thin-" she began, only to be interrupted by Toshiro.

"Father if I may, I would like a word with Natsumi alone." He said seriously, giving his younger sister a threatening glance. Gaara eyed the two and nodded.

"Fine, hurry." He gave them a dismissive hand. Satomi and Toshiro each grabbed one of Natsumi arms and pulled her into the hallway.

"Are you out of your mind Natsumi?" Toshiro snapped, glaring her down.

Satomi stood by her brother fully, giving her sister the same look. "What are you doing? Choosing that Uchiha over your family and your home."

Natsumi didn't know what to do, she was being assaulted by her two siblings. "I…don't know what you're talking about…" she tried to lie.

Toshiro huffed, "Oh cut the crap Natsumi." He snapped, reaching forward and grabbing the necklace that was hidden underneath her shirt. He held it up, showing her the crest. "Satomi and I are not stupid, we know you better than anyone. We know you and the Uchiha have something but it needs to end. You are threatening the village. Now if you don't get it together, go in there like the pompous brat you are and take charge like your old self then we are going to have a problem. Do you understand?" he asked, breaking the chain to her necklace and taking it.

She went wide eyed and slammed her palm into her brother's diaphragm, snatching the necklace back. He placed his hand instantly to the pain and began to heal the sore feel. "I will go through with it, but you better not ever touch this again. If I can't have him, I will at least get to keep this." She seethed, placing it in her kunai pouch. She would have to fix it later. She pushed past her siblings, who followed after her back into the room. She let her usual smirk come to her face. "Alright. I will take lead on this, but I have a few adjustments to make to the plan." She walked forward, setting her hands on the table and examining the plan. She knew the changes Konoha would make because they were the changes she would make and she was an excellent tactician. She tried to keep the grimace off her face, she knew that she would have to face Akito and it would not be pretty. Because to him, she had betrayed him.

* * *

Akito stood on the rock ledge and looked out at the barren field they had chosen for their battle ground, arms crossed, his eyes red. He had gone over his plan again and again, and knew that it was full proof. He knew that Natsumi was going to be leading the Suna army, and knowing how smart she was, figured she would already have a counter-attack for their modified plan. That was why he had decided to add in a little element of surprise. The field was already laid with expert traps and genjutsu, and on top of that, their other armies had finished their battle against the Land of Rain early, and were on their way. They should arrive shortly, before dusk even. And at the moment it was almost noon.

Natsumi should be arriving with her army any minute now. His gaze hardened as he thought of her. He couldn't believe that she had used him. His father was not happy about the fact that she had escaped either, and as punishment, he'd had to train for seventy-two hours straight. No breaks, no water. He hadn't minded, it had actually allowed him to better formulate his plan and punish himself for being such a fool.

"Commander Uchiha, everyone is in place." Minako said, staring out at the area along with him.

He didn't spare her a glance, continuing to watch for Natsumi. "Thank you Minako." Haru came up and stood on his other side then.

"So, we're really going to do this? Are you sure-" he began.

"Yes. I don't want to talk about this again Haru." He said tersely, moving his glare onto the young Inuzuka. Haru held his hands up.

"Okay man. I just want you to be sure before you do something you'll regret." The brunette said.

"I never regret killing liars, thieves, betrayers, or deceivers. She is all of those, so there is no way in hell I will regret this." He said, facing the field once again. His friend just shook his head but remained quiet. He and Minako both knew better than to argue with Akito right now, especially since neither had seen him this way before. They exchanged a look, but turned their gazes forward when they felt a large amount of chakra coming their way. It was time.

A dark smirk came to the young Uchiha's face when he saw the blur of an army on the horizon. He would finally make his father proud of him by killing Natsumi, ridding the world of her horrible existence once and for all.

* * *

Natsumi paced along the borders of their camp. They were just outside the designated place for battle. She stopped, staring out at the field. It was in an interesting place, just where the desert ended. This was going to be one of the bloodiest battles either side had witnessed. Unless she could end it soon. But how? She didn't know how she was going to get Akito to believe she hadn't betrayed him. She was dressed in different attire this time, since she needed to stand out more than usually since she was the commanding officer. She had on short black shorts and in place of her knee high ninja shoes where ones that came up mid-thigh. She had on a white Anbu like vest, lacing up in the front with red string. She had on a tight black halter top beneath it, tying around her neck. The necklace he had given her was around her neck as well, not bothering to hide since right now no one questioned her loyalty. She reached one of her hands up and tugged her arm covers up. They covered from the middle of her upper arms to her wrists. She tightened her head band, taking a deep breath. She had her sword on her back, needing to be ready to defend herself if Akito drew his own.

This was going to be one of the most difficult times of her life. She looked up and across the field, seeing a dark figure on a far off boulder. Her heart stopped. It was Akito, she knew his chakra signature anywhere and he was so close. She resisted the urge to go see him and try and patch this up but then two figures joined his side and they disappeared. She touched her heart softly, wishing she could comfort him. She could feel the hatred emitting from his chakra. It broke her heart, but she would make things right.

"Commander Natsumi-sama. We are ready whenever you are." One of her subordinates came from behind.

"Good. Send out the specialist team. No doubt Akito has set this field up to his advantage. Have them diffuse all the traps they can, when they return I will lead the attack myself and engage with the Uchiha. He is mine to kill. Make sure all know this." She said sharply.

He nodded and left her quickly, sensing her agitated state. Satomi and Toshiro walked beside her, both dressed in similar Anbu outfits. "Are you ready?" Toshiro asked seriously.

"More than ready." Natsumi said, closing her eyes. "It's either me…or him."

Satomi kept the smirk from showing on her face. Finally, the Uchiha would be dead. The three turned then and headed back to the main tent to go over the plans. The team sent to deal with the traps went out, expertly finding and destroying more than three fourths of the traps. Natsumi stood at the front of the Suna battle line, looking down both ways to see her brother and sister. She focused ahead, seeing Konoha's finally come from the trees. The ocean of sand and grass between them did nothing to stop her heart from hurting. She closed her eyes once more and steeled her nerves. She would do whatever it took to show him this was all a misunderstanding. She reached up, untying her headband and then adjusting it, so it was actually over her forehead. This was going to be a close call and she would use her forehead protector as it was made to be used.

* * *

Once all of his forces were lined up, Akito straightened his outfit, readying himself for the fight to come. He was dressed in his normal black pants and ninja shoes, with a tight sleeveless black shirt on. On top of that he wore something similar to his Anbu vest, only this one allowed for better movement. He had a kunai holster tied onto his right leg, and another one around his waist, his sword on his back. He wore bracers on his forearms in order to protect them, and on his hands he had his normal fingerless black gloves. Reaching up he tightened his forehead protector, actually wearing it for once, since it was an official battle and he had to set an example for his troops.

He could sense Natsumi's chakra, and his own fought against the hold he had on it, ready to be unleashed so he could kill her. Always during their fights he had held back, but this time, he might even subject her to his Tsukuyomi, which was much worse than his father's, especially since he was full of vengeance. It didn't even matter that most of the ground traps had been disabled. He knew for a fact the ones he laid himself were still active, and his were the nastiest. On top of that, high in the sky where they were undetectable were numerous flying summons, their masters on their backs. Once they were given the signal, they would swoop down and begin their own attack from the sky.

"Minako, Haru, don't die." He said, surveying their enemy. "And don't forget, the Princess is _mine_."

Both nodded affirmatively, Hasuki growling his own response. Minako activated her byakugan and instantly found Toshiro. She felt an urge to go straight to him, like always, but resisted. This was a battle of life and death. She would just avoid the redhead and go for other people. People she would be able to kill, no matter how much she didn't want to.

Suddenly it was as if each side had decided it was time to begin, because both large masses of people were running at the other. Akito stayed behind, waiting for the opportune moment to engage his enemy. No matter how badly he wanted her dead, he was going to keep his head and wait until it was time.

"Akito…" a soft, familiar voice said from behind him.

He turned slowly, not surprised that she had gotten across the field so quickly. When he saw her, the pain and betrayal he had been feeling since she left showed on his face, before he replaced it with his look of hatred. He would not let her affect him so, it was probably just a ploy in order to get him to lower his guard anyways. His eyes flickered to the ring she wore openly around her neck, and somehow, his glare intensified. "How _dare_ you speak to me." He said, voice dripping with venom.

She didn't bother to hide the hurt reflecting on her face. "Akito, you don't understand. I didn't give them the plans I swear." She stepped closer to him, trying to reason with him. But she could feel the fury radiating from him. She tried to appear as vulnerable as she could, she had no intention of fighting him. "I just want to talk to you, please you have to believe me, I would never do something like this to you."

He almost gave in to her, but refused to fall for her acting again. "You almost had me fooled." He said. "I actually thought that you cared for me, but it was just an act in order to steal those plans. You used me Natsumi. You used my feelings for you, you used my body for your own pleasure, and you used my status as a high up Konoha shinobi to get in and out safely. I'll be damned if I let you try again."

"Akito I didn't use you! I love you! You have to listen to me, yes, I stole the plans when I escaped but after we spent that amazing night together I forgot I had them!" She went wide eyed, unable to continue as he came after her with his sword drawn. She could feel his intent to kill. Luckily, she was faster than him and able to dodge his attacks. She had already decided she would not use her sand against him, even if it was just for defense. She wanted him to know she was being vulnerable, she could even tell that he was looking around for the grains.

"Please Akito!" she begged, flipping back and sliding a bit. "I don't want to fight you. I didn't betray you! Someone took the plans from me. I was never going to give them to the council! I was going to send them back to you!"

"Bullshit!" he yelled, attacking her once more. When she dodged again he sneered at her. "Why aren't you fighting me? Killing you won't be as much fun if you don't put up a fight!"

"Because I don't want to fight you!" she cried out, dodging another one of his slashes. She dashed side to side, narrowly avoiding his sharp blade. "I know this looks bad, but you're not even giving me a chance to explain myself!"

"I won't listen to more of your lies! Now either defend yourself or just stand still and die!" he shouted, jumping into the air. He raised his sword high and sent lightning into it, slashing down at her.

His words hurt, but the warrior in her took over and in one swift motion she drew her sword, blocking his own. She pressed her lips tightly together, still doing nothing but defending. "Akito…" she said sadly. "Please." He slammed his sword down onto hers, forcing her to grab the hilt with both hands. Thankfully, before the battle she had wrapped rubber beneath the cloth wrapping. She had never admitted it, but the fact that he could control lightning frightened her, because she had never seen it before. They didn't have thunderstorms in the desert, so she was unaware of the destruction it could cause.

"Begging is so beneath you, don't you think, _Princess_?" he mocked, swiftly drawing a kunai and aiming a jab at her throat. She twisted her sword in her hand, hitting his wrist with the hilt and forcing him to drop the kunai. She grabbed it and threw it backward, embedding it into a tree.

She just stared at him, a sadness filling her eyes. Normally the taunt would have erupted something from her, but she stayed calm. Nothing in the world could upset her now. "Akito…what will make you believe me?"

"Nothing you say will make me believe you. I already told you I won't fall for your lies anymore. I guess it's what I get for trusting someone and letting them in. My father was right in telling me that it was safer to never trust, never love." He held his sword up so that it was completely vertical, and shot a stream of lightning into the sky, signaling for the people hiding up there to begin their attacks. Then he lowered it and pointed it at her. "Now fight me like you mean it." Lightning shot towards her then, and she was barely able to dodge, since it traveled at the same speed she could. It hit the tree behind her and burnt it, causing a small portion of it to catch fire.

"No." she said sharply, watching him warily. It was a lot more difficult than she could have imagined to not fight back. Dodging and defending was hard without retaliating, but she loved him enough to wear him down and hopefully have him listen to her. "I don't know what you want from me Akito. I'm trying to explain to you and you won't even hear me!" she yelled, growing frustrated with his stubbornness.

The fact that she wouldn't fight back was only making him angrier. Why wouldn't she just drop her act already and fight him? He lowered his sword and the lightning stopped. "I want you to stop pretending you love me, to stop pretending you care." He pointed at her then. "You don't deserve my attention. You don't even deserve to wear that ring around your neck. When I kill you, I will take it from your corpse. Because unlike you, I'm not a liar and a thief. Once you're dead, that ring is rightfully mine again."

Natsumi went wide eyed, staggering a bit in her stance. "Akito…I'm not lying. I love you. I would die for you, why can't you see that?" she moved her hand to her chest, resting her palm over her breaking heart.

He smirked darkly and sheathed his sword. Then he pointed two fingers together and brought his hand close to his body, poised to strike. Gathering his chakra to his fingers, he yelled, "If you would die for me, then go ahead and _die_!" he shot his arm forward then, shooting lightning from his fingertips directly at her.

She looked absolutely broken from his words and it didn't go unnoticed by him or the fact that she made no effort to move. Natsumi looked past the surging lightning at Akito one last time. She didn't want to cause him anymore pain and nothing she said seemed to reach him. She dropped her sword and closed her eyes, not wanting to see it happen.

She felt it instantly when the lightning tore through her shoulder, forcing her back from the impact. She bit back the scream that climbed up her lungs, wanting to go out strong. It was as if the whole world stopped, because every single person on the battle field froze in absolute shock and horror.

Toshiro was wide eyed and Satomi was stark white. "NATSUMI!" the elder red head screamed, disappearing in a burst of sand. He appeared beside his sister, she was curled up with a pained look on her face. Her body twitched from the shock of the lightning and then stopped moving completely. "No! Natsumi!" he pulled her up, seeing the damage Akito had done. Her shoulder was destroyed and still bleeding terribly. "No, no, no, no. NO!" he buried his face in her neck, holding her body close to his. Satomi ran up by his side then, tears spilling from her eyes.

"Natsumi," she sobbed out, kneeling beside her brother and holding her sister's head between her hands.

Watching the scene from his vantage point, the hateful look fell off Akito's face to be replaced with one of shock. What had he done? He had been ready to see her fall, watch her die. But then, when he saw her face as his lightning had shot towards her, he knew that she was serious. But he had been too blinded by his hate and his hurt to actually hear her words. By the time he realized this it was too late, the lightning had already hit. That was what really told him she was telling the truth, because the Natsumi he knew would never purposefully get hit by anything. And now, because of his stupidity, he had hurt her. Again.

Minako was next to him then. "Akito-kun what's-" she let out a shocked gasp, covering her mouth with her hands when she saw what had happened to Natsumi. She looked at him then, and saw the broken look on his face. She knew that he would regret hurting the pink haired woman, but he wouldn't listen to her.

Without a word, he summoned Kei, hopped on the large hawk's back and flew away. At the disappearance of their Commanding General, the Konoha shinobi didn't know what to do. So Minako took charge, calling off the fight. The Suna shinobi had no reason to continue anyways, since the sand siblings were freaking out and their own Commander was dead.

"I'm sorry." She said to them before leaving in a purple flash, off to check on her troops. It didn't take long for the Konoha ninja to retreat. After all, even if the sand princess was dead. Toshiro would take the head and he was just as deadly. Toshiro finally moved from his holding position, staring down at his sister's lifeless face.

"Why did you do that Natsumi? Why didn't you avoid it?" he asked, a painful expression washing over his face once more. Satomi leaned over them, her brow scrunching.

"Toshiro…she's still alive!" she actually exclaimed, joy showing on her face. Toshiro looked up at his sister and then pressed her ear to Natsumi's chest. He heard a small, slow beat. He went wide eyed and suddenly his sand picked up and they were gone.

One of the lieutenants announced the news to the ninja army, who erupted in cheers. They began to gather their weapons and head back to Suna to check if their beloved princess would make it.


	24. Healing

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Twenty-Four_

-Healing-

Toshiro sat in one of the hospital chairs alongside the one bed in the room, watching the slumbering pink haired woman recuperate. He hadn't left her side since she was put in the room. Luckily, their mother had been able to heal her fully and stabilize her. Thanks to Sakura, there wasn't even a scar blemishing her perfect body. She was now hooked up to life support, since her heart had been terribly damaged. It would take a while for her to fully recover. But she should at least be awake by now. The red head grimaced, glancing out the window. This was all the Uchiha's fault, for damaging his sister and leaving her in this helpless state. He wasn't stupid. He knew there was something odd between the two. He had killed her emotionally and he needed to bring her back to life.

He reached into his pocket, pulling out the ring his sister wore around her neck and eyeing it. The door to the hospital room opened and Toshiro quickly hid the ring in his pocket. He had no intention of not giving it back to his sister, but he had taken it off her when they arrived at the hospital. It would have only made her look like a traitor and no matter what, he would protect her. She was his little sister after all and that's what big brothers were supposed to do.

Gaara and Sakura walked in, taking a look at their unconscious daughter. "How is she?" Gaara asked his son who simply shook his head.

Sakura walked up to the bed and placed her hand on her daughter's forehead. It glowed green for a brief second, and when she took her hand away, she looked up at her husband sadly. "There is no change. It's as if she's lost the will to wake up, like she doesn't want to." She brought her hand up to her mouth as she let out a choked sob. She would give anything to see her daughter awake again.

Gaara went to his daughter's other side and stared down at her. "I don't understand. Natsumi's never given up before. This is so unlike her…" he reached down and took her lifeless hand. Toshiro had to fight the urge to blame the Uchiha. The younger red head got up and headed wordlessly for the door. He had a plan, but it was pretty crazy.

Sakura's teary gaze hardened. "Let me go kill him Gaara. Please. I know you don't want me out there, but I can get in and out of Konoha quickly, and they won't even know it was me. I will even make it look like an accident!" she pleaded.

Toshiro stopped with his hand on the door. "No mother, you stay here. You are only safe with dad." He said seriously. "I will deal with the Uchiha and bring Natsumi back." he opened the door and slammed it behind him, disappearing in a swirl of sand.

She sat down in the chair Toshiro had just vacated and began to cry silently. "I just feel so useless…even though I know I'm not." She said, taking her daughter's free hand in her own.

Gaara released his daughter's hand and went to his wife's side. "My dearest, you are not useless. I just can't risk you leaving me. This is a fine example." He glanced sadly at Natsumi, placing his hand on Sakura's shoulder. "Everything will be alright. I promise." He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Come on," he offered his hand, helping her up. "Let's let her rest, hopefully she'll wake up soon." He tried to give her a comforting smile. Reluctantly, Sakura released Natsumi and the two left, needing to deal with a certain arrangement.

* * *

Akito sat at the top of the Hokage Mountain and stared dismally out at his home. When he had returned and news that he had killed the Sand Princess spread, he had been welcomed back with open arms. His father had even patted him on the back. He finally had his father's approval, and he didn't care. Nothing mattered anymore if Natsumi wasn't alive.

He was a monster. A horrible, horrible monster. First hurting her with the knowledge that he was engaged to someone else, then not believing her and killing her? There was a special place in hell for people like him. Speaking of which, he wondered how bad it would be. He had been sitting on top of the mountain since returning and showering off the stench of battle. He didn't want to be reminded of that day. While he thought about what he had done and the immense amount of regret he felt, he had come to the conclusion that he had no reason to live, just as he said. Without Natsumi, he had no reason to continue on in this world.

He had been contemplating how he would die over the past few days, and had concluded that if he didn't do it himself, he should get one of the other sand siblings to kill him. Preferably the brother, since he didn't want Ugly to get any credit for his demise. He would even make it look like he had put up a fight, that way he would go out nobly, living up to the Uchiha name.

Deciding to go see if he could find the redhead, Akito stood and disappeared in a puff of smoke, landing at the gates. He leapt off into the trees then, headed straight for Suna. Perhaps he could just pretend to be storming the place, and find Toshiro there. Before he got halfway through the forest he felt a large chakra signature coming his way and stopped. It felt vaguely familiar, so perhaps it was someone he knew. He activated his sharingan, just in case it was an enemy, and waited.

As if destiny were lining up his demise, sand slammed Akito flat against the nearest tree, binding him tightly to the trunk. Toshiro appeared in front of him, a fierce glare set in place. "What the hell did you do to my sister!" he demanded.

He almost smirked at the coincidence of this meeting, but decided against it. "I shot lightning at her." He said simply, deactivating his sharingan. If he was going to die, he couldn't use his gift, because if he did, he would automatically avoid the hits. Or be tempted to just kill the man before him with a genjutsu.

"Not that." He snapped. "Why won't she wake up? You took away her will and you need to give it back! I'm not an idiot! I know that you like her and I know she likes you, what did you do to her?" the sand around him constricting more tightly.

His eyes widened. "Natsumi is alive? I thought…I thought I had killed her." He said, looking away, his mind racing with this new knowledge. If she was alive, then he had failed. But, he actually didn't care. Others may see this as a failure, but he saw it as the greatest victory he'd ever had. Now he could beg for her forgiveness and try to win her back. Again. But she needed to wake up first. He looked back at Toshiro. "Let me see her. I might be able to get her to wake up."

"You better be right Uchiha, because if she doesn't I will kill you with no regret." Toshiro moved back, keeping his gaze hard on Akito. He reached into his pocket and pulled out Natsumi's necklace. "If you so much as try anything against Suna I will destroy this." he said seriously. He was pretty sure that Akito would only go for Natsumi but he didn't know him that well, and Uchihas tended to be unpredictable. Finally, the sand loosened and dropped Akito to his feet. "You will have to mask your chakra the second we get there. Understand?"

"Of course, I'm not stupid. Now let's go. The sooner we get there the sooner I can get Natsumi to wake up." He said.

The red head gave him a hard stare, feeling a bit reluctant now. Had the Uchiha agreed too easily? He pushed the thoughts away. The way Akito was acting was definitely concern, "Alright. I'm trusting you…Akito." Toshiro said, looking weary. He walked up and placed his hand on the Uchiha's shoulder. The sand around them picked up and swarmed, taking the two away towards Suna. Toshiro just hoped this was the right decision.

* * *

When they formed, they were on top of the hospital in Suna. The sun had already begun to set by now. Toshiro stared at the orange sky, taking note of the time. It was turning to evening which meant that the hospital would have less staff. "Alright, this is good. We won't have to worry about too much foot traffic." He told Akito, heading towards the door that led back into the hospital. "Ok now listen. You're going to have to be really careful. Because no one aside from my family is allowed in that room. I don't know how much time you'll have so you'll have to hurry."

He nodded and quickly formed a henge that altered his hair and eye color only. He was still in his battle outfit, but had taken off his headband, so people wouldn't be able to recognize him. "Lead the way." He said, deciding to be polite, since the redhead was nice enough to bring him to Natsumi.

Toshiro nodded and headed down into the hospital then, with Akito close behind. They walked down the halls, trying to be casual, but the red head was worried. If he was caught with a Konoha shinobi he would not even get a trial. He would be remembered as the person to bring down Suna's name for being a fortress, unable to be infiltrated. He shook the thoughts away. This was for Natsumi and he would risk anything to bring her back to life. The world was a duller place without her in it. They stopped at a large door, far off from the others. It was obviously a special room. Toshiro looked around, making sure no one was around and let Akito in. "I'm going to let you do this by yourself…but…just don't make me regret this ok?"

Akito gave him a nod in understanding. "I am grateful for this…and, if you ever need a favor in the future, I owe you one, so don't hesitate to ask Toshiro. You're actually a cool guy." He said, patting the redhead on the shoulder before entering the room.

The red head actually gave him a small smile, "Just go in there and save my sister. And don't tell me how you do it, because I don't wanna know." He held up his hands, palms out, with a small laugh. Akito laughed as well and when the door shut Toshiro took up his task of guarding.

Akito stopped in his tracks and his smile vanished when he saw her. She was lying on her back, unconscious, and an oxygen mask was over her mouth. He walked up to the bed and ran his fingers along the length of her arm in a gentle caress. She wasn't even damaged or scarred from his hit, which made him glad. Sadness entered his eyes as he thought of the possibility that she might not wake up. "Natsumi, I'm so sorry. I was such a fool." He lifted the mask off of her face and kissed her softly on the lips. "If you love me, then you'll wake up." He whispered in her ear. Then he straightened and looked down on her, his gaze switching between her and the monitor she was hooked up to. Even if she didn't want anything to do with him when she awoke, he would be okay, knowing that she was alright.

But she didn't even stir, her breathing had picked up on its own though, but he didn't know if he should replace the mask that was keeping her alive. After a while, he sighed, sitting down in the chair next to her and hesitantly reaching to take her hand. He grimaced, he didn't deserve to touch her. He left his hand, lying next to hers, resting his head down on the bed. Suddenly he felt a soft touch and something gripped his hand, caressing his skin. When he looked up and saw Natsumi's sorrow filled gaze, it almost broke his heart. But before he could say anything she spoke hoarsely.

"I'm so sorry Akito…"

He shook his head and moved to sit on the edge of his seat. "No, don't be. I was wrong, I should have believed you. I…understand if you don't want me anymore. I'm a monster." He said, looking away from her in shame.

She gave him a weak smile, examining his body. She was really curious as to how he got in. "I always want you Akito, I love you." She said simply, letting her smile fill her entire face.

His head whipped around in her direction, and his henge dropped from his shock. He was still new to the whole love thing, but he had always thought that love came with conditions and rules. "But…why? How can you love me, when I've been such a jerk to you? I always ruin everything, and I hurt you. I said all those mean things…" he trailed off, ashamed of himself. If she knew half of the things he had said and thought about her before fighting her, she probably wouldn't be so quick to forgive.

She laughed, gripping his hand tightly. "Akito, love is unconditional. I tried to kill your friend and you still wanted me, even after I told you I hated you." She stopped, needing to take a deep breath. She hadn't used her body in a while and she didn't like the after effects. "No matter what you do, I could never not love you. That's what's so dangerous about love…I would gladly give up Suna if it was to protect you." She told him, trying to lace her fingers with his.

He laced their fingers together and kissed the back of her hand. "I don't deserve you."

"Yes you do." She sighed, closing her eyes. "You deserve me, just as much as I deserve you. Murders belong together after all." She said sadly.

"You are _not_ a murderer. You are a princess. _My_ princess. And I will do whatever it takes to keep it that way." He said with conviction.

She looked over at him with a loving look. "Such a noble prince." She whispered, rubbing his hand with her thumb. "Always protecting his princess. Even if she's bad," she released his hand and lifted her own, wanting to touch his face. She had missed him so much and it had destroyed her to see him in so much pain.

He leaned into her touch and smiled at her. "I love you Natsumi, even when you're bad." He said, placing his hand over hers on his cheek. "Your naughtiness is actually a turn on, if you want me to be completely honest."

She scoffed, seeming much more like her old self. "I know naughtiness is sexy. Silly Akito, I was speaking of my darker side." She rubbed his cheek soothingly. She struggled to get up, letting the sheets fall around her waist, showing her body to him. She didn't have anything on aside from the bandages wrapped around her chest. She placed her steady hand on the bed, to keep herself up and pressed her lips against his. "I love you too Akito and I always will. Please don't ever forget that, no matter what you do, I will love you."

He kissed her passionately, wrapping his free arm around her bare waist and pulling her out of the bed and into his lap, causing her to let out a squeal as her brought her closer to him. "You are the best." He said against her lips, resuming kissing her.

"Are you sure you should be handling me so roughly?" she arched a delicate brow, wrapping her arms around his neck. She traced her fingers down his neck, loving the feel of his skin.

He pulled away. "You're right, you are a delicate flower that should be handled with care." He agreed, stroking her cheek tenderly. "So allow me to kiss away your hurt." He leaned down and began to lavish her neck with kisses, nipping and licking her skin every so often as he made his way to her chest.

She moaned softly, rubbing his shoulders tenderly. "Oh Akito. I missed you…" she whispered softly. Then the question from before popped back in her head. "How did you even get in here?" she asked, not really wanting him to stop, but it was simply tugging on the back of her head.

He lifted his head and looked at her. "Your brother came and got me and snuck me in. Actually, he's standing guard outside the door, so we probably shouldn't do anything that will cause you to make _too_ many noises. Wouldn't want him to burst in here while we're in the middle of something or anything." He said with a smirk.

"Toshiro went and got you?" she asked, looking utterly confused. "But why? I don't understand."

He shrugged, moving his hands to her hips. "I'm not sure either. I was on my way to Suna when he found me. I was going to pretend to attack the village and let someone kill me so that I could be with you, because I thought you were dead. But he told me you were alive, you just wouldn't wake up, and that he thought I would be the only one who could get you to open your eyes again." He explained.

"I didn't think you wanted me anymore…waking up just seemed…pointless…" she said sadly, resting her forehead against his. "If you didn't want me, I didn't want to be part of this world." She sighed, glancing back at the door. She couldn't do much with Akito with her brother standing right outside the door. But she was craving him so.

Picking up on her thoughts, he smiled and kissed her. "I know, but there's no way you'll be able to keep your screams down if we do anything like that. And I wouldn't want you to either." He said, rubbing her back in a comforting manner.

"But when will I be able to see you again?" she slid her hands down his chest, gripping his shirt tightly. "I don't want to be without you again."

His brow furrowed. "I don't know. Konoha is launching an attack on Mist in a few days, and I have to be there, since I'm a Commanding General now. Perhaps, if Suna somehow got wind of the battle, they could join in." he said, trying to come up with a way to see her. He didn't want to wait another two months, he wanted it to be as soon as possible. "And we can fight the enemy together, instead of fighting each other for once.

"Even if they did, my father would not allow me to leave to fight with you out there. If what you say is true, then everyone thinks that I'm dead. We have to keep it this way until I know what to do. It may be a longer wait than we would hope for but…" she bit down on her lower lip. She didn't want to be away from him. "I will write to you and keep you updated." She smiled, cupping his face tenderly. "After you attack Mist, you should organize an attack against Suna. That way we can see each other."

"We probably will anyways, since the Elders will want your siblings disposed of. Because with them out of the way, we would no longer see Suna as a threat." He said. Then he reached out and gripped her chin lightly, tilting it towards him. "Every night at midnight I will look up at the moon and you do the same. That way we know the other is thinking of us at the same time, and in spirit and thought, we will be together."

Natsumi stared into his eyes, quickly placing her lips over his. "Yes, I will. Every night." She mumbled into his mouth, turning their kiss more heated as she traced her tongue over his own. His grip on her hips tightened as their tongues began to fight for dominance as their kisses turned more passionate. He slid his hand up her side and ran his thumb over her breast lightly. He wanted her so badly. If her brother wasn't out in the hall, she would already be screaming in ecstasy by now. But he knew such activities would have to wait for another time.

"I love you." He mumbled, rubbing her through her chest bindings.

"I love you too," she whispered desperately, arching into his touch. She stopped, pulling away from him and glancing at the door. "Oh my god…it's my dad. He's in the hospital!" she started to move frantically. "If he finds you, he'll kill you!"

He picked her up bridal style and stood, placing her back on the bed. Then he began to help her cover herself, so that it looked like she had remained in bed the whole time. "Don't worry about me squirt, I can handle myself." He reassured, putting his henge back in place just in case.

She covered her lips with her hands when she saw him lean down to kiss her once more. At his questioning gaze, she giggled, shaking her head. "I'm sorry sir, but I belong to an Uchiha."

He smiled. "But my Lady, do you not know that men want what they can't have? And stealing a kiss from your luscious lips under that Uchiha's nose would just make me oh so happy."

"I'm sorry dear man, but I cannot. My lips are only for my beloved." She couldn't stop her giggling now. She was having too much fun. "And my Lord would hunt you down and kill you if he were to find out."

He gave her a serious look. "You are right there, beautiful Princess. He is much too powerful and handsome for one such as I to defeat. But, what your Prince doesn't know won't hurt him." He said, leaning down once more, only this time he was moving slowly.

She let out a small yelp, making a few quick hand signs and then touching his forehead, dispelling his disguise. She leaned up to meet his lips half way and kissed him deeply. "Oh my Lord, you came just in time. Some man was trying to steal a kiss from your Lady." She said nuzzling his face lovingly.

He arched a brow. "Really? I'll kill him." He replied. Then he smirked. "And, so that you remember who your lord is, I will now ravish your mouth like it has never been ravished before." He declared, quickly covering her lips and giving her a mind blowing kiss. She wrapped her arm around his neck, kissing him back with as much passion as she could muster.

It was then that the door opened and Toshiro walked in going wide eyed. He coughed loudly, getting the two's attention finally. Natsumi blushed and released Akito quickly. "Toshiro," she pulled the covers up and glanced at Akito.

The red head tried not to let on his irritation, "My father is coming. We need to leave. Now."

"Alright." Akito said. Then he kissed Natsumi on the forehead before standing, not caring that her brother was standing there. It was about time someone knew anyways. "Take care." He told her, putting his disguise back in place. He walked over to the door, and with one final look back at his love, he left with Toshiro.

The two men walked down the hall, until Toshiro shoved Akito into another corridor when a familiar Kazekage rounded the corner. He followed after him and grabbed onto his arm. The sand wrapped around them more quickly than the last time and they were gone.

When the two appeared once more they were back in the forest, along the border of Wind and River. "Well…" Toshiro began, not really knowing what to say.

Akito dropped his henge and looked at the redhead. "I can make it back on my own. And thank you." He said with a nod. He wasn't really sure what else to say, since he didn't know the other man very well.

Toshiro gave a sharp nod, but there was obviously something on his mind. "Akito…thank you for helping my sister…" he paused, his kind and confused face contorting into a threatening glare. "But if you ever hurt her again, you will have to deal with me. I may not be as fast as she is, but I _will_ kill you."

He smirked. "I understand. And I will do my best not to hurt her again, but if I do, know that I won't make it easy for you to kill me. So be prepared."

The red head's frown actually turned into a small smirk. "If you didn't I'm sure both Natsumi and I would be insulted. Because unless you haven't noticed, my sister needs a strong man, one that can keep up with her."

He chuckled. "Trust me, I'd have to be blind not to notice." He paused as he turned to leave, remembering something he had forgotten to tell Natsumi. "The Land of Waves is going to be launching an attack on Suna soon. They are actually sailing all the way around Fire to reach Wind. Just so you know."

Toshiro just stared at him oddly, it was difficult for him to accept such information from an enemy. But his sister trusted him and so that meant he had to have some credibility. "Noted. I will look into it and have a force ready…thanks." She stopped, his hand forming into a fist. "Good luck Akito." He said, extending his closed hand to the Uchiha.

Akito formed a fist and bumped it with the redhead's. "You too. See you on the battlefield." He said with a wave before speeding off towards home. It was kind of nice, the fact that he and Toshiro were kind of like friends now.

The eldest sand sibling watched him until he was out of view. He needed to go see his sister now, since, unfortunately he had only seen her sucking the Uchiha's face. His sand picked up quickly and once more transported him to his home in Suna.


	25. Treason

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Twenty-five_

-Treason-

Akito stood on a sand dune, sharingan activated, and stared off into the distance at the desert wasteland called Suna. He didn't really understand how people could live here, but whatever. That wasn't his priority right now. At the moment, he needed to make sure his troops were ready for their 'surprise' attack. After defeating Mist in their battle a week ago, he had written Natsumi like he had promised, informing her of when he would be in Wind. And every night since he had left her, he'd looked at the moon when it reached midnight, and thought of her. He missed her so much. More than he thought he could miss a person.

He became alert when he felt her chakra drawing near and his anticipation grew. Good, she was on her way. The funny thing was that everyone in Konoha believed her to be dead still. And he couldn't tell them otherwise, because, technically, he had no proof.

Minako came up to him then. "Commander, the army is ready." She said, remaining formal with him. He nodded.

"Excellent. Today, we make up for last time." He said, keeping up his act. In reality, he and Natsumi would 'fight', once everyone got over the shock that she was still alive. His father was actually present for this battle, along with Naruto, since they were going to take Suna. But surprisingly, he didn't care that his father would be disappointed in him and call him a failure when he found out that Natsumi was still alive. All that mattered was that she loved him and wanted him.

Minako gave him a troubled look. After their last battle against Sand, she had thought he would've changed, since she knew he felt something for Natsumi. Instead, he had been more distant than usual, and now he was back to his normal self. She never thought he could be so callous and uncaring before, and now more than ever, she regretted her agreement to their marriage. Would he remain this way the entire time, even when they had kids? Because they would have to, it was in the contract that they both had to sign. Haru came up to join them then.

"Well this is it, isn't it? The day Suna falls to Konoha…" the brunette sighed, crossing his arms.

"Finally." He replied, continuing his stoic façade and keeping up his lie. He knew they weren't going to take Suna, especially since Natsumi was alive.

* * *

"Commander Natsumi-sama, are you sure that you are ready for battle. You just recovered last week from a fatal blow." One of the lieutenants asked worriedly, as he followed the pink haired woman who was in the lead.

"So Youn, please calm yourself." Natsumi smiled, waving her hand in the air in a dismissive manner. She tied her head band around her forehead, tugging up her gloves. She was dressed similar to how she was in her last battle. She had on her short shorts, her thigh high shoes, and her laced up Anbu vest. The only significant difference was that she had a black long sleeved shirt on, the tight collar going halfway up her neck. She had her sleeves pushed up to her elbows and had Akito's ring around her neck proudly. Besides anyone who saw it, wouldn't be able to catch the symbol as fast as she would be moving.

Satomi and Toshiro came to her side, looking out at the desert. The Konoha forces had already entered the desert and were headed towards them now. Temari and Kankuro came up as well, looking down at their niece. "I don't understand why dad sent you two to babysit me. I'm going to be fine." The youngest of the sand siblings smirked, placing her hands on her hips.

"Just be careful Natsumi. Kill the Uchiha and get it over with." Temari said simply. The pink haired woman rolled her eyes, starting forward and leading their ninja army towards the oncoming threat. They wouldn't go too far from Suna, but just enough to keep it safe. This was it. She was finally going to see Akito again. It had been too long in her opinion and now the moon only reminded her of his beautiful face.

As they traveled they finally saw their enemies, making their way towards them. Natsumi halted her army and waited patiently, Akito would come to her. Just like he always did.

* * *

Minako gasped as the Suna army came into view. "Akito-kun! Natsumi-chan is alive, and is leading the army!" she exclaimed, looking at him in surprise. He remained unfazed by the news.

"Is she now? Guess I'll have to do a better job of killing her this time then." He said nonchalantly. The news of her return spread through the Leaf troops like wildfire, and the soldiers began to get restless. They had initially thought that they would be able to take Suna this time since the sand princess was dead, but at the sight of her, they feared that the battle would be similar to the last one. For if their Commanding General, Uchiha Akito, could not take her out, then there was no hope.

Smirking as he saw the Suna army halt, Akito raised his hand slowly, causing his men to become silent. He swiftly lowered it in one quick movement, signaling the beginning of the battle. The Konoha army started forward then, shouting their battle cries. They would fight with everything they had, despite the pink haired woman's return.

Searching the line of enemy shinobi, he searched for Natsumi. Finding her, he began to run in her direction, but halted when he saw that his father was already headed towards her. There was no way he would make it in time to get to her first, since he had been positioned father back in the troops so he could overlook them. Cursing silently to himself, Akito headed for her anyway. If he couldn't fight Natsumi, then at least he could fight near her, to make sure she was okay. But before he could even reach her, a huge gust of wind swept him up, causing him to fall back. "Uchiha. You will not get near my niece ever again." Temari seethed, readying her fan for another attack.

Natsumi looked around, seeing everyone had already begun to engage in their own battles. But she was trying to find Akito, she wanted to see him so badly. Her sense sharpened and in one fluid movement she drew her sword from her back and deflected a blade aimed for her. She almost let a smirk come to her face, but it wasn't Akito who she was fighting, it was his father! She was forced back, as she barely blocked all his attacks. The sand around her shot towards him, slithering around like vines needing to ensnare its prey. "Uchiha Sasuke. Long time no see." She smirked.

His facial expression didn't even change, unlike Akito's would have. "Hn. My son is useless it seems, if he was unable to kill someone such as you. I will just have to finish the job for him." He said, attacking her once more.

She just laughed, "You think you can beat me old man? I'm gunna kick your ass, just like my daddy kicked yours." She let her sword rest on her shoulder, shifting her weight from foot to foot. "I wonder if killing you would piss Akito off," she chuckled, taking off and disappearing in the blink of an eye. The next thing the elder Uchiha saw was the blade, aimed for his center. He dodged, but felt the steel slice across his arm. His hand went immediately to the cut, it wasn't deep, but it was a clean sweep. Natsumi flipped back, landing on her feet and staying ready. "When are you going to give me the credit I deserve?"

"When you actually deserve it." He replied, sending lightning into his blade. He disappeared then, actually excited for this fight. It wasn't often he could fight worthy people, and she seemed worthy, although he would not feed her ego with the knowledge. Plus, it had been years since he could actually go all out with someone and not kill them within the first five minutes of the fight. When he reappeared he was behind her, and he slashed at her back, just barely missing. But unlike when she fought Akito, Sasuke's attacks were aimed to kill.

Her playful smile vanished, it was hard, since lately she had only fought Akito. But Sasuke was very skilled and unlike Akito, Sasuke was not in love with her. She jumped back, solidifying her sand and pushing off so she could meet his attack. Their swords clashed over and over again, but the sand around Sasuke's feet began to move and hold him down, well at least slow him down. And she could tell it was really starting to agitate him, because she was already faster than him, he didn't need this inhibiting him as well. She attempted an attack with her sword and when their blades met once more she thrust her free hand forward, the dark green glow emitting from it as she aimed for his heart.

He twisted his body and quickly formed a sword in his free hand made of lightning. Using his momentum, he swung around and aimed for her center, causing her to halt her attack on him and dodge the deadly blade. It was in that moment Sasuke saw the necklace she was wearing, and the ring dangling from it. "How dare you. You are not worthy enough to wear that ring girl. And when I take it back, I will be sure Akito is punished within an inch of his life for this betrayal." He seethed.

"And how do you know I didn't just steal this when I was in Konoha last?" she arched a delicate brow, moving side to side, and avoiding all Sasuke's blows. She dashed to the left, disappearing from his sight and slamming her hand down on his already wounded arm with as much force as she could. But she could only send a bit of her harmful chakra into his muscle before he forced her off and followed up with another lightning attack.

"Then Akito will still be punished for being useless enough to allow you to steal it." He responded, swiping at her once more. Predicting where she would land when she dodged, he quickly did a few hand signs and sent his family's most famous fire jutsu in the direction.

She glared hatefully at him, she was done with this man and how cruel he was to her precious Akito. She would kill him for her love and rid him of the terrible tyrant. Natsumi barely dodged the fire ball, going a bit wide eyed. Was he predicting her movements that well? She smirked then, fine, she would just let her mind go. Sure it was dangerous to allow herself to become unstable but she'd be damned if she let herself be seen through. Her speed picked up then and she was glad the fact made the elder Uchiha grimace. The fact that she brought him displeasure just exhilarated her.

Meanwhile, Temari was keeping the younger Uchiha occupied. He had to admit that the older woman was skilled. But it was obvious her strong suits were only in long range, so if he could get close he would have victory. The blonde whipped out her fan, yelling out a summons, as a weasel soared straight for Akito on a gust of wind, holding a scythe.

He quickly bit his thumb and summoned a large hawk, one that was decked out in armor and had metal coating its talons, making them even more deadly. His summons flew at the weasel, preoccupying it. In Temari's moment of surprise, Akito used his speed to get close to her. He drew his sword from his back and slashed down at her, only to have her block his attack with the outside of her fan.

"Nice try boy. I admit you're better than I thought." The blonde said, swinging her fan and creating another huge gust of wind.

Akito smirked and made a few hand signs as he jumped out of the way, sending a large fire jutsu at her, which was only made bigger by her wind. She dodged, but not before a bit of her hair was singed off at the ends. "You're not too bad yourself, for an old lady." He taunted.

"I'm not old you punk!" she shook her fist in the air angrily, "Now get outta my desert, you no good Uchiha!" she swung her fan over and over again, starting a giant cyclone that sped straight for him. Luckily, for everyone else, they had avoided the two knowing the fight would take a lot of range.

Akito just smirked. Had she not learned her lesson? Wind only fueled his fire. He formed a series of hand signs, and suddenly a large fire dragon shot from his mouth. It flew straight at the oncoming cyclone, growing bigger once it hit the wind. Then it continued on its path towards Temari. Knowing she would be preoccupied with that for a while, since he had made it to follow her for a few seconds, Akito shifted his red gaze to where Natsumi was fighting his father. He exhaled in relief, seeing that she was holding her own against Sasuke. Then his eyes widened when he saw that she had fallen for his father's trap.

In the midst of their fight, Sasuke had allowed himself to be injured in his shoulder, giving Natsumi the impression that she was going to win the fight. But while she had let the victory of the blow go to her already oversized ego, his father had summoned the King Cobra, which was now striking at her swiftly, and she was sparely fast enough to dodge the large snake. While she was distracted with that, Sasuke activated his Mangekyou Sharingan, and was in the midst of aiming his Amaterasu at her, since he would be able to tell where she would land when the snake struck. Finally picking the opportune time to strike, the black flame began to shoot from the elder Uchiha's right eye.

"No! Natsumi!" Akito shouted, and using a speed he didn't know he possessed, he quickly ran over to her and grabbed her, jumping out of the way of the deadly embers. When he landed he was holding her bridal style, and he looked over at his father, glaring hatefully.

"You traitor!" Sasuke yelled in disbelief, not believing that his own son would turn against him. Suddenly everyone else stopped fighting at the elder Uchiha's exclamation, a sea of eyes turning towards the trio and widening at the sight.

"Are you alright?" Akito asked the woman in his arms, his watchful glare not leaving his father.

Natsumi just stared wide eyed up at Akito, gripping his shirt tightly. "Wh-what was that black fire?" she asked, looking just like the little girl from his past who had been frightened out of her wits.

He glanced down at her and then back up, not dropping his guard. "Amaterasu, one of the many abilities of the Mangekyou Sharingan. It eats everything in its path, able to be controlled by its master, and only disappearing when its master gets rid of it. Nothing can deflect it, and nothing can stop it."

Natsumi let herself down from his arms, but he still kept a firm grip on her. She glanced around noticing that everyone was watching them now. "Natsumi-sama!" a couple Jounin came closer only to be met by her sand wall. "What's going on Natsumi-sama?" they asked.

She closed her eyes and looked up at Akito, catching his gaze. Toshiro and Satomi walked up, standing beside Minako, watching the two. Natsumi grabbed Akito's face in her hands and brought his lips to hers, showing to her own people that she too was a traitor. She would not allow Akito to go down alone. "Akito," she whispered against his lips. "I love you, more than I love my village."

He smiled down at her and stroked her cheek tenderly. "I love you more than I love my honor." He replied, kissing her sweetly, leaving no doubt for his own forces that he really was betraying his village.

Sasuke grew outraged. "That's it!" he yelled, then looked out at the troops. "I am hereby taking charge. Everyone, kill the traitor!" he ordered, pointing at the couple. The Leaf shinobi reacted quickly, too afraid of Sasuke to disobey him, and, their Commander _had_ saved the sand princess, and _was_ currently kissing her. That was enough reason for them.

"Akito-kun…"Minako whispered sadly, frozen in place. She knew what this meant, and the thought upset her.

Satomi seemed to snap, stepping forward. "Suna Shinobi, ignore the Konoha ninja and kill Sabaku no Natsumi and Uchiha Akito! They are both traitors and deserve nothing but death!" she pointed. They hesitated at first, but Satomi was Natsumi's elder and it was plain that even the strong sand princess had turned her back on them.

Toshiro frowned, taking a step forward to protect his sister, but stopped. He knew better and he knew Natsumi would not allow herself to die.

The pink haired woman looked up at her love and smiled brightly. "So are you proposing?" she teased, lacing her fingers with his. He could already feel the sand swirling around them, prickling against his skin.

"Actually, I proposed the day I sent you that ring." He said, nodding towards her neck. "But now it's official." He smiled, placing his forehead on hers and deactivating his sharingan, since he knew they would not be touched.

She laughed and closed her eyes, pressing her lips against his once more. The sand around them swirled and surrounded them and when it fell the two were gone. Satomi screamed out in rage. "I want that Uchiha bastard found and I want his head brought back to me on a silver platter!"

"Satomi!" Toshiro yelled, silencing everything once more on the battle field. He glared at his sister, not wanting to have to deal with her right now but she was out for blood. "Stand down. Now!" the red head stepped forward and gave Sasuke a stern look. "Obviously now we each have our own problems to deal with. If you agree to leave now, we will not attack you."

He nodded. "Yes, the Hokage will want to know of this. Pray that you find them first, because if we do, your sister is dead." He said, signaling for his troops to leave. They did so quickly, wanting to get back to Konoha as soon as possible.

Toshiro nodded and ordered his own troops to do the same. He needed to inform his father of this immediately, and he knew already that it was not going to go over well.

* * *

"Natsumi did what?" Gaara shouted, slamming his fists on his deck. Both Toshiro and Satomi shied away, feeling their father's sand swarming angrily around in the air.

"She disappeared with that Uchiha." Satomi said softly, unable to meet her father's gaze.

Sakura let out a sigh and placed her hand to her forehead, trying to stop her oncoming headache. She should have known this would happen, suspected it even when her daughter had come to her crying about the boy. But she had hoped that Natsumi had seen the error of her ways and moved on, just as she had all those many years ago. But, this meant that her daughter really did love him, since she turned against her country, her family, just to be with him. Something that Sakura could relate to, since she had done the same to be with Gaara. But she wouldn't say so, especially when her husband was in such a bad mood. She had never seen him this livid, not since Konoha had tried to kill their daughters when they were young. Looking up at her family, her gaze fell on her son, who appeared not to be as surprised as Gaara. Figuring that he knew more than he was letting on, she spoke up. "Toshiro should go after her." She stated.

Both the red heads looked to her in surprise. "What?" Toshiro asked, clearly having missed something since he was deep in thought.

"Are you insane?" Satomi snapped. "The only reason she better be brought back is so that I can execute her myself! This is not fair! How come I have to deal with all this political bullshit and negotiations for Suna?" the eldest twin yelled, actually showing emotions for once. "I have to go off to Iwa even though I don't want to, but when Natsumi betrays the village all were doing is bringing her back so she can be scolded?"

Gaara glared at his daughter, silencing her. "This is completely different Satomi."

"Why?" Satomi snapped back, frowning. "Because Natsumi is your precious little princess? God, I hate you both so much!" she yelled, turning around and leaving the room. Toshiro just stared after her, utterly confused.

"What is she talking about?" he asked.

The Kazekage sighed, running a hand down his face. "Your mother and I have been offered something very rare from Iwa. They want to form an alliance with us and…they made us a very nice offer that sparked our interests."

Toshiro still didn't seem to catch on. His parents hated Iwa. It was the placed they had been taken when they were kidnapped. "I don't understand…"

"They want to marry the Tsuchikage's grandson off to someone in Suna." Gaara said finally.

The younger red head grimaced as realization washed over him. "You mean either Satomi or Natsumi?"

"Natsumi was too unstable to send to Iwa to be married off." Gaara interrupted quickly. "She's irrational and we didn't know what she would do if she were placed in that situation."

Toshiro looked at his mother. "So you're just going to send her off…to get married to the place you hate the most. What exactly did they offer you?"

Sakura averted her emerald gaze. "They offered us all the men who survived from the place they kept us. And will allow us to execute them personally."

Their son frowned, looking down towards the ground. "I don't know mom…maybe…we should just let Natsumi go?"

She shut her eyes, a lone tear escaping and rolling down her cheek. Opening them, she gave her son a concerned look. "Honey, if Konoha finds them, they will kill your sister and take Akito back to be punished. I know she can handle herself, but they have very skilled assassins. Especially now that they have seen Natsumi fight more than once, they will no doubt have a plan on how to take down your sister. I would rather have her here and unhappy, than out there with a price on her head. The other nations will no doubt hear of this, and they will send bounty hunters of their own. Leaf for sure has put up a hefty reward for her head." She explained.

"Mom, she's with Akito. Natsumi is one of the strongest ninja to ever live and you know as well as I do that the Uchiha are powerful. If they don't want to be found, which I assume they don't, they won't be found." He said seriously, "Natsumi is a tracker, she's not going to allow someone to follow her. And Akito is more than capable of protecting her." He stopped immediately, realizing he had just called the Uchiha by his name.

Gaara glared at his son, he had certainly not missed that. Sakura just hit the wall with her fist, causing the entire building to shake. "I don't care Toshiro! She is my daughter and I want her found now! Because so help me God I will go out there and find her myself if I have to, and while I'm at it, I'll kill that damn Uchiha." She said with conviction, a hateful glare marring her usually happy features.

Toshiro stared at his mother, a little shocked that she had gotten angry with him. "Sakura, you are not leaving the village." Gaara said sharply, giving her a furious glare. He dared her to defy him. He would not put his wife in danger, especially with everything that was going on right now. "Toshiro." The Kazekage growled, walking around his desk. "You _will_ go and find your sister, you _will_ bring her back, and you _better_ not set foot in this village until you have done so. Do you understand?"

Calming down a bit, Sakura walked up to her son and gave him a tender look, placing her hand on his cheek in an attempt to apologize for being so terse with him. It wasn't his fault, he was just there for both parents to take their frustrations out on. "Honey, please just do as we ask. You may not agree, and you may not understand, but please do it anyway. I know you will find her, you know your sister better than all of us, and you will sense her sand, no matter what." She said, rubbing his cheek softly.

"Yes ma'am." He said, a scowl forming on his face. He left then, not wanting to be his parent's scapegoat any longer.

Gaara sighed and leaned against his desk, pinching the bridge of his nose. "How could this have happened?"

Sakura let out a sigh and shook her head. "She loves him. Somehow, she fell in love with that Uchiha, enough to betray her village to be with him." She said.

"But why? How! The only time they ever saw each other was on the battle field." He leaned back, lying flat on his desk. This was just awful, things couldn't possibly get any worse.

She walked over and placed her hands on the desk next to his head, looking down at him. "Remember when she was gone for almost two weeks, and Toshiro thought she had hickeys on her neck?" she asked, surmising that they were from the young Uchiha.

Gaara growled. "How could our Anbu not find her, yet of all the people in the world, he happens upon her?"

"Well he is in the Konoha Anbu Black Ops, supposedly. So he has some skill. Either that or fate threw them together, just as it did us in that cell." She suggested. She wasn't entirely keen on the idea that her daughter was meant to be with the Uchiha, but as she had said, as long as her kids were happy, she was happy. And if that boy made Natsumi happy, then Sakura was willing to try and deal with it.

"It is not that same!" he huffed, sitting up quickly and looking back at her. "That was reasonable. We spent every day together and neither of us had a hidden agenda. Plus I'm not an Uchiha, so that automatically makes it right. While it makes this wrong." He said crossing his arms defiantly.

She cupped his face in her hands and smiled slightly at him. "Sweetheart, I know this is difficult for you, especially because it's Natsumi who's out there. You think I don't have a vendetta against Uchihas as well?" at his pouting look she kissed him. "We just have to try and look at this objectively, no matter how difficult it is. Akito is not Sasuke, so maybe he has some hope. Not a lot, but some. And, he turned his back on Konoha to be with Natsumi, so he's in the same boat she is right now. I highly doubt he has a hidden agenda when it comes to her, since Uchiha have too much pride to fake liking someone and being called a traitor, just to gain something in return. Hopefully Toshiro will find her quickly and bring her back, where we can ask her ourselves what it is this boy means to her. Natsumi can handle herself, and if it turns out that he is using her, I have no doubt she will kill him in the most painful way possible." She said with a reassuring smile and stroking his cheeks. She needed to get him to calm down a bit more, because things would go downhill quickly if she was the only one thinking with a level head. Soon she would lose her temper again, and lord only knew what would happen then.

Gaara let out a deep sigh, relaxing slightly, "But she's my little girl. She's not supposed to fall for anyone who isn't me." He frowned.

Her smile widened and she chuckled lightly. "Well, she can't fall for you, because you're already taken. And I'll kill anyone who tries to take you away from me. I like having you all to myself." She said, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning against him slightly.

He smiled for the first time that night and pulled her closer, kissing her neck. "I just hope she's alright." He said sadly, his grip on Sakura tightening.

She nuzzled him, kissing his neck. "She's our daughter. She has my personality and wittiness, and your strength. There's no way she'll be hurt." She said as she pulled away so that she could see his face. "Now come on. We still have one child here who needs us right now."

He nodded, "You're right. Let's go make sure Satomi is ok."

Sakura smiled and took his hand, leading him out of his office and off to find their daughter.


	26. Traveling

**Magnetism **

_Chapter Twenty-Six_

-Traveling-

It had been two days since the battle between Suna and Konoha had taken place. By now, everyone knew about the betrayal of the two ninja and had taken full advantage of the information. Every single country was after them. Konoha had even put a bounty on both Akito and Natsumi's heads. Akito's was set at eight million yen to be brought back alive, five million yen if dead. Natsumi on the other hand wasn't so lucky. Konoha would give ten million yen to whoever brought her back dead. And only dead, because they did not want her alive.

By now the two were in Tea country, which was just south of Wind and Fire. Fortunately, it was a peninsula and the only way to travel there on foot was to go through Fire country. The only piece of land connecting the peninsula to the mainland was far to the east. Natsumi groaned loudly, sitting down on the lush grass beneath a tree. "I'm so tired of walking!" she whined, letting her arms stretch and then fall above her head. She had abandoned her Anbu vest and was now traveling in nothing but her short black shorts and her black long sleeved shirt that exposed most of her midriff. "Why are we even on the peninsula? You know I hate water and being surrounded by it is starting to make me agitated." The pink haired beauty looked up at her companion who just seemed tired. After all, he'd had to deal with a temperamental, normally pampered girl for the past two days.

"I told you Natsumi. We need to get off the mainland. _Everyone_ wants us dead." He tried to explain once more.

"But why do we have to go to an island? There's so much water." She brought her knees to her chest and set her chin on her knees. Akito just sighed and offered his hand down to her. He had pocketed his gloves some time back, and ditched his Anbu vest as well. Now he was left in his normal black pants, skin tight, sleeveless black shirt, and ninja shoes. His sword was strapped onto his back, and he had kept his kunai holsters, just in case they were attacked. She took it and allowed him to help her up, and they started along the trail once more.

"Sea Country is one of the only neutral countries left. Also, they are far from the mainland, so they don't really know what's going on in the war. Plus, they have plenty of islands to hide on, and considering your hatred of water, it's the last place anyone would ever look for us." He gave her a small smile, trying to reassure her that this was the best plan. "There will be sand on the beach, we can find a nice beach house so you can always be near it."

She looked up at him and smiled sadly. "Alright. I suppose I can get used to that. As long as I'm with you any place if perfect." She said happily, latching onto his arm and holding onto him tightly.

"We can be like regular people. Nobody will know who we are, we can just be ourselves." He said optimistically. Then he smiled down at her. "I even have the perfect cover story. We are a young couple in love, and both of our fathers don't approve of our relationship. So we ran away in order to be together. It's so simple and true, everyone will believe it, and we won't have to act too differently."

She nodded, "Sounds just about right. And those people out there won't know who we are so it's perfect. Though…we have no money…or clothes…and I've no idea what we're going to do about food." She sighed, now starting to depress herself.

"Simple. We find some old hermit and give him our sob story. They'll let us stay with them, no problem. If we have to, we can lie and say you are with child, just to sweeten the deal. Then, I can get a job in town or something. You know, work like a civilian does. Pretty soon we'll have money to get different clothes, and then once we have enough, we can buy a place ourselves."

She stopped, making him stop with her, and took his hands. "And we can live together, happily, not having to worry about missions, or the war. Or your dad, or my family. It will be perfect. Just you and I." she smiled brightly, already seeing their future fan out. It would be wonderful.

He smiled at her. "And we can get married." Suddenly his smile vanished. "Shit." He said, eyes widening slightly.

"What?" she asked, tilting her head to the side in confusion, a hint of irritation in her voice.

His brow furrowed slightly. "With everything that happened lately, all the missions, battles, and…when I thought you lied to me and then died, I never got the chance to talk to Minako about cancelling the wedding. We were supposed to get married in three days. Who knows what she's going through right now, having to deal with the Elders, her family, my father, and the entire village."

Natsumi stared at him suspiciously, releasing him from her hold. "So? Who cares."

He sighed. "It's not what you think. It's just that, Minako's been my best friend since I was a kid. She's the closest thing to a sister I ever had, and I feel kinda bad just leaving her to deal with everything. The people of Konoha are cruel, and considering who my father is and his past, and now this, they will take out all their hate and anger on her, because they're too afraid of my dad to do it to him." He shook his head then. "Oh well. Haru will watch out for her. Let's just go. The faster we get to that island and find a place to stay, the sooner I can learn what it's like to share my shower." He said, giving her a suggestive look.

"Hmpf. We'll see." She crossed her arms, still seeming a bit irate. She walked ahead of him, already feeling the difference in the air. The slight moisture it held from the ocean. She let her sand shield slide off slowly. She wouldn't be fighting anymore, so guarding herself all the time would be unnecessary. He followed after her and put his arm around her waist. Leaning close to her ear, he said in a sing-song voice,

"You're the most beautiful woman in the world."

She tried to keep her frown in place. How dare he try and play off her ego. But of course, it was hard enough to resist him in the norm. So when he tried, it made shivers run up her spine. "Don't try and butter me up Akito." she tried to wave him off and break from his grip. But it only tightened and pressed her against his hard body.

"I'm just telling you the truth." He nuzzled her neck. "When I think about your touch, it sends shivers up my spine." He whispered huskily in her ear, nipping the lobe. Then he straightened and dropped his arm, walking a bit of a distance away from her. "But, if you think I'm trying to butter you up, then I guess I'll stop." He said, turning to face the road and hiding his smirk.

She had to shake herself from the daze he had sent her in. She stared after him and puffed up, just like a little pink puffer fish. "Uchiha Akito," she stormed after him, waving her finger in the air. "How dare you try and manipulate me like this. I will simply not stand for it." She poked his arm in an agitated manner. But she was only angry because it was working so well. And it was only then she realized she was giving him the reaction he wanted. She crossed her arms stubbornly and huffed once more. "Meanie."

He began to laugh then, the weariness leaving his face. "You, Sabaku no Natsumi, are the funniest, most adorable thing I have ever seen in my entire life." He said with an easy smile, kissing her forehead. "And I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you." He brought a hand up and stroked her cheek tenderly.

She smiled brightly, taking his hands in her once more. "I can't wait to make you the happiest man alive." She said, leaning up and kissing him sweetly. "Come on!" she urged and started pulling him along, towards the port city of Tea country. "The faster we get to Sea Country the better!"

* * *

"Five hundred yen just to ride the boat to Haha Island?" Natsumi shrieked, making the boat man cover his ears in pain.

He glared at the girl, taking in her appearance for a moment, his eyes lingering on parts they shouldn't. "I'm sorry to say, but yes. Though…I'm sure if you were willing, we could make other arrangements for your payment." He let a small, dark smile creep up his old face

Akito grabbed the man by the collar and jerked him so that they were face to face. "Watch yourself old man. Look at my woman like that one more time, and you'll find yourself missing an eye. Maybe both." He threatened, using all of his willpower not to activate his sharingan out of anger to aide in intimidating the man.

Natsumi stuck her hands between the two and pried the poor man from Akito's death grip. "_Darling_, is that any way to treat someone we are trying to negotiate a boat fare with?" she gave him a scolding glance, placing herself between Akito and the man. "Now please sir, is there any way we can compensate for something else?"

He backed away frightened, literally shaking in his fishing boots. "J-just don't kill me! I'll take you anywhere you need to go." He gulped, not taking his eyes off the man who had just nearly killed him.

Still glaring, Akito said tersely, "Then take us to Haha Island like we've been asking for the past fifteen minutes." When the man just stood there, still petrified, Akito snapped. "Well get the damn boat ready!" he yelled, causing the fisherman to scurry down the dock and to his vessel. Satisfied with his work, he looked down at Natsumi smugly. "See? Negotiations taken care of."

"You didn't have to make him pee his pants Akito." She waved her hand in the air with a small smile. "You might as well have put on your sharingan if you wanted to scare him that bad." she smirked and then froze, turning around quickly and glaring up at him. "You didn't!"

He huffed and crossed his arms. "Of course not. I think I have enough self-control to keep that from turning on thank you very much. I can't help it if I'm naturally intimidating. It's a gift, and a curse." He said, smirking.

She arched her brow, still looking skeptical, but finally smiled. "Ok, big bad Akito." She turned around and started down the docks. "Are we going to be staying on the main island or one of the smaller ones?" she asked, glancing back at him as he followed. "I mean since we don't have to pay anymore, we might as well get a full ride while you've got the poor man praying to the gods for mercy."

"We'll be staying on a small island behind the main one called Kika Island. That way it will be harder for people to reach us, since we'll be the furthest away from any of the big countries." He replied, getting into the boat and holding a hand out to her so that she was steady as she got in. She took his hand and got on, looking around the gaudy thing that was going to carry them over the terrible ocean. They started off, having already heard the directions from Akito, the fisherman decided to leave them be.

Natsumi swayed a bit, holding her hand to her mouth. "I think I'm gonna be sick…"

He looked at her in disbelief. They hadn't even made it out of port yet, and she was already having problems? He wasn't really sure how to handle it either, so of course, he said something stupid. "If you have to puke, do it over the side of the boat so we don't have to smell it the whole way and it doesn't get on my shoes."

Her gaze sharpened into a deadly glare, "Well fine then. I'll just stay on the other side of the boat." She snapped, turning away from him and stomping off, which did not help her sea sickness. Once she rounded the corner, she leaned over the edge and threw up. She slumped down the side once she felt like she was finished and held her head between her legs. This was going to be terrible, how could people work on these things for a living?

He let out an exasperated sigh and walked over to her. "I didn't mean it that way, I was just saying…oh never mind. Do you want me to rub your back or something to help with the nausea?" he asked, sitting next to her.

"No." she snapped, not bothering to move, despite the fact she was mad at him. She felt horrible and she didn't want to talk anymore or argue, so she just kept quiet.

He reached up anyways and began to massage the base of her neck, since it was really tense. Then he made his way down her spine a bit, and back up. He knew he had screwed up with his comment, but he didn't want her to be upset with him the entire boat ride. And, now that he thought of it, she wasn't used to water, nor did she like it, so this was probably the first time she had ever been on a boat.

They heard the fisherman start to laugh as he looked out his window from the closed steering room. "Young lady, what on earth are you doing going to an island, when you get sea sick from five minutes on a boat? You are most certainly a continent girl." He snickered, only making Natsumi press her head further into her legs.

Seeing this reaction Akito grew angry. What did this man know anyways? "She'll be fine when we reach land. It's the rocking of the boat she can't stand." He defended, continuing to massage her neck.

"Please," he scoffed. "I know her type when I see it. If you don't mind, someone as threatening and well poised as you shouldn't have such a frail and frightened woman."

His hand stopped its comforting movements and he sent a glare at the fisherman. But he couldn't say what he wanted to say because he and Natsumi were on the run. "Just steer the boat old man." He ordered, resuming rubbing her back.

They had been on the boat for hours now and Natsumi had only gotten worse. By now she had moved into the cabin of the fishing boat and took refuge in the corner. She held her knees to her chest, keeping her forehead pressed against them. Akito had taken to watching the sea along the edge of the boat. A brunette came around the edge, holding a bucket in one hand and a plate in the other. She was the fisherman's daughter, and had allowed Natsumi to stay down below. "She really doesn't like the ocean, does she?" she smiled kindly, offering him a sandwich. "I made one for her as well, but when I offered it she just looked sicker."

He took the sandwich from her and bit into it absentmindedly, keeping an eye out for the island they were headed for. The sooner they reached the island, the sooner Natsumi would feel better and he wouldn't have to worry about her. "She hates water in general." He said, taking another bite.

"Oh my," the girl laughed, "well then we might have a big problem." She pointed towards the direction they were headed. "See those clouds? There's a big storm up ahead and we'll be hitting some pretty rough waters."

"Oh you've _got_ to be kidding me!" Natsumi shouted from inside the boat. "It's going to get worse?"

Akito let out a groan. He was already sick of dealing with Natsumi being seasick, and if the sea got worse, he didn't know how she'd act. He wasn't even sure how to deal with her as she was, much less if she got worse. "Perfect. Just perfect." He muttered.

The girl blinked and looked back at the door to the cabin. She focused her warm brown gaze on Akito and gave him a sympathetic smile. "You two are new to being in a relationship aren't you?"

He glanced at her. "I _guess_ you could say that. Why?"

"Well it's pretty obvious you don't know how to deal with a woman." She snickered, but seeing his unchanging, irritated glare she stopped immediately. "Not that it's my place to say or anything." She stepped away with an awkward laugh.

He sat his unfinished sandwich down on the edge of the boat and stomped down to the cabin. Well, more like walked heavily, since Uchihas don't stomp. He walked into the room and knelt down next to the cowering woman in the corner and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Natsumi, do you…need anything?" he asked, unsure if that was the right thing to say.

She shook her head slowly. She just wanted to be alone, because this was humiliating, it made her look weak and she never wanted to appear weak in front of him. He had fallen in love with her strong side, and she didn't think he would accept anything less.

Wanting to make her feel better, even though he felt like he couldn't do anything, he sat down next to her and picked her up, placing her in his lap so that her head could rest on his shoulder should she want it to. Then he began to stroke her head. "If sitting in my arms helps you feel better, then I will stay with you until we reach the island. I promise." He said, kissing the top of her head. She remained still, until there was a loud clap of thunder and the whole boat jerked sideways. Natsumi was clinging to him then, her eyes shut tightly. The sound of the rain soon followed as it pounded against the windows and the deck. Her knuckles were white from how fiercely she was holding on to him. When he looked down at her, tears were streaking down her cheeks and she was mumbling something to herself.

"Dry, sand, heat." She whispered, repeating it over and over again as if it would calm her.

He wrapped his arms around her and began to make soothing noises in her ear. "Everything's going to be okay sweetheart." He lulled, running his fingers through her pink locks.

"I'm sorry," she cried softly, curling more into him. She hated this. She felt sick and weak and wet, how much longer was this stupid boat ride going to take?

He gave her a confused look. "Sorry for what? You have nothing to be sorry for."

She frowned, finally opening her eyes that were pooling with new tears. "I never wanted you to see me weak." She lowered her head, unable to look at him anymore.

He smiled down at her. "Honey, I love you, inside and out, all of your sides. This is just another side for me to love."

She shook her head, obviously not believing him. "How could you love something so pitiful?"

"You are not pitiful, don't ever think that. It's like you said, love is unconditional. All or nothing. And, I've faced possibly not having you any more before, so I'll take all of it"

She glanced up and slowly she smiled, leaning into him more. "Akito…I love yo-" the boat crashed into a big wave and suddenly Natsumi turned green, grabbing the bucket she had been supplied. She held it in her lap and stuck her head down throwing up from her nausea. Akito just watched, reminding himself to be sympathetic to her needs. How could she have anything left to vomit? She hadn't eaten anything since way before they had gotten on the boat. But he knew not to say anything, especially after what he had just told her. So, he rubbed her back in order to let her know he wasn't disgusted with her or anything.

The storm lasted two hours, before finally the rain let up and spots of sunshine were peeking through the clouds. The sea had settled down, but Natsumi was fast asleep against Akito's chest. After her fourth vomiting episode she'd exhausted herself and fallen into what seemed to him like a coma. The brunette stuck her head in the cabin and smiled at the two. "We'll be reaching Kika in about an hour."

"Thank you." He said, dismissing her. He was glad that they would be there soon, because he didn't know how much more of this he could take. Sure, Natsumi had vomited herself into oblivion, but he'd had to watch, wipe her face off, reassure her, comfort her, and then it started all over again. He was exhausted.

About one hour later they arrived at the island. Akito picked Natsumi up bridal style and carried her to the deck of the boat. She stirred slightly when the sun hit her face, but didn't open her eyes. Akito just smiled down at her as he stepped onto the solid dock. Nodding to the sailor, he walked until his feet were touching the sand. "Natsumi, we're here." He said.

The sea sick princess' eyes flashed open. "Is that...?" she trailed off, glancing around and bursting into happiness. "Sand!" she yelled excitedly, breaking from his hold she ran along the beach letting the particles wrap lovingly around her. "Sand, sand, sand!"

He smiled genuinely as he watched her prance around the beach. He was glad that she was happy after that miserable boat ride. Seeing her so carefree made the entire ordeal worthwhile. He walked up to her and grabbed her by the waist, spinning her around so that she was facing him. He kissed her passionately then and when he pulled away he brought his hand up and cupped her cheek. "I love you." He said tenderly.

"I love you too Akito," she mumbled against his lips, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Thank you for being with me…I know I was super unattractive when I was throwing up into that bucket."

"Nah, I got a pretty good view of your butt a few times, so we're all good." He joked, placing his hands on her hips. "But like I said, all or nothing. You could never be unattractive in my eyes Natsumi."

She lifted her hands and cupped his face, "Uchiha Akito, you are simply too amazing." She giggled. Their bubble of joy was interrupted when a loud and hungry growl came from her stomach. Natsumi blushed, her face turning a dark red, and pressed her hands against her flat stomach. "I guess I'm really hungry."

"Well, you did puke out everything you've eaten for like, the past week. Come on, let's go see if there's a place we can stay, and I'll get you some food." He said, grabbing her hand and walking towards the pier-master. "Excuse me sir. We're new to the island, and were wondering if there is a place we can stay." He said, deciding to be polite, since they needed to blend in.

The brunette man shook his head. "No, I'm afraid not. We're such a small island and don't really get any visitors, so there's no point in having an Inn. But I bet if you ask around, one of the townspeople will let you stay with them." He suggested.

Akito grimaced slightly. "Well, do you know of anyone who would be open to having guests?" he asked.

He rubbed his chin contemplatively for a few moments and then smirked. "You could always try old man Fugaku. He's a hermit that lives on the northern tip of the island, just that way." He said, pointing down the beach. Akito nodded and thanked the man, walking in the direction of the man's hut, Natsumi by his side. The pier-master's smirk widened. People here on the island hated outsiders and the hermit especially. There was no way they would be allowed to stay.

* * *

After walking for almost thirty minutes, Akito and Natsumi finally saw a fairly large old Japanese shrine in the distance, situated not ten feet from the beach. "Well, when he said northern tip, I didn't think he meant so far north." The young Uchiha pointed out.

Natsumi sighed, her hungry stomach forcing her into a bad mood. She walked ahead of Akito and up the stone path that led from the beach to the front of the shrine. She stopped at the door and searched around, an irritated look on her face. She glanced up and saw a large bronze bell that must have been used when this place was still used for worship. She grabbed the thick rope, coming down from the center and swung it harshly, back and forth creating a loud gong like sound. "HELLO!" she yelled, along with the ringing.

Akito rolled his eyes and sighed, walking up and standing next to her. The door opened quickly, revealing an older man with charcoal grey hair, tied in a low ponytail that went down to the middle of his back. His straight bangs framed his face, which held slightly cloudy onyx eyes, signaling that he was partly blind. He also had stress lines angling off from his nose. He looked directly at Akito and his brow furrowed slightly. "So, you finally figured out that I was still alive Sasuke. And you got Haruno." The man said.

Akito grew confused. "What do you mean? My name is Akito, and how do you know my father?" he asked.

The hermit's puzzlement left his face then, instantly becoming stoic. "Nevermind. I'm old, you know, spouting nonsense."

Still slightly suspicious, Akito just got straight to the point. "Listen, Fugaku right? My fiancé and I need a place to stay for a while. Our fathers don't approve of our relationship, so we ran away and came here. We'll work for our stay and for food." He explained.

The other man's eyes narrowed. So, this was Uchiha Sasuke's son he had heard so much about through the grapevine. He could tell, since the boy was almost a spitting image of Sasuke, and by his chakra signature. He knew the two were hiding their true identities, but no matter how hard they tried to hide it, he could still pick up a faint glimmer of their chakra. He concluded that they were escaping the war, just as he had by faking his death and coming to this island more than twenty years ago. He looked at the pink haired woman next to his nephew and concluded that the medic from the team Sasuke had been on must have found someone else. She looked like she was about to say something, so he finally spoke up. "Come." He said, turning and walking into his house. The couple exchanged a look and followed him to the living room. "Sit." He ordered, pointing to a couch. He then took a seat in a chair sitting opposite them. They both followed his example and sat, and it was then Akito decided to speak up.

"Look we-"

"You may stay, but there are conditions." The man called Fugaku said.

Natsumi groaned, falling over on her side and holding her stomach. She was so hungry she couldn't even thank the man for taking them in. Akito just waited patiently, glad that the woman next to him was too starved to say anything offensive or rude. "I will provide you normal clothes. You may stay in a spare room that I will prepare for you, and I will feed you. In exchange, I expect you to help out around the shrine. You will cook, you will clean, and you will help take care of the garden. Understood?"

"Yes sir." Akito said. It all seemed agreeable to him, since he had to do that anyways at home.

"That last part wasn't to you boy." The hermit said sharply, glancing down to the collapsed pink haired woman. Natsumi's eye's shot open and focused on the man in a glare. She sat up slowly, how _dare_ he tell her what to do. She would have offered to cook and clean, but to be told was unheard of. She opened her mouth to give him a piece of her mind but Akito's hands clamped tightly over her big mouth, silencing her. He held them in place tightly as she struggled to get them off.

"She accepts your conditions happily." The young Uchiha said, making sure not even a peep escaped Natsumi's lips.

"Good. You can just find some work in the village." He said. Then he rose and walked out of the room, entering a few minutes later with a trey. It had two large sandwiches on it that he had just thrown together, along with two glasses of ice water. He set the trey down on the coffee table. "Here, you two look hungry."

Natsumi's eyes sparkled and she finally ripped his hand from her face, grabbing the sandwich hungrily. She stopped just as she was about to take a bite and glanced up at the gracious man. She set it back down, stood, and placed her hands together. "Thank you very much sir." She said as she bowed, her necklace falling forward and dangling from her neck.

The hermit's eyes widened when he saw the ring dangling from her neck. He knew that ring. It was kept in the head family, passed down generation to generation. The ring was meant to be given to the eldest son, in order for him to give to the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Which meant that this girl meant a great deal to this heir. He was glad. It seemed that someone in the Uchiha family was finally starting to get things straight. It was in that moment he decided to help the couple out as much as he could, even if they had to live with him until the end of his days. At least that way he would get to regain what he had lost with Sasuke in some way. He nodded to Natsumi. "It is of no major consequence. Once you two have eaten and bathed, I will give you some money to go into town and buy yourselves some necessities."

Her eyes widened again, lacing her fingers together happily. "Shopping! Oh I'm so excited! Thank you so much Fugaku-sama!" she smiled brightly, grabbing her sandwich and eating it quickly as she headed down the hall to find the bathroom. She _needed_ to bathe, it had been far too long since her last shower. Not one for words, as he guessed their host was, Akito just grabbed his sandwich and followed her. Leaning against the bathroom doorframe, he took a bite of his sandwich and asked, "Want me to take your weapons and stash them in our room?"

Natsumi glanced back at him with a sly smirk. "I'd actually prefer if you came in here and joined me."

He let a small smile grace his features, taking another bite. "I don't know if that's such a good idea, after all the man did _just_ invite us into his…" he trailed off when he saw her hook her thumbs on the hem of her short shirt and pull it off. "home."

"You sure?" she arched a delicate brow, reaching behind her back and unclipping her bra.

He swallowed the rest of his sandwich and quickly shut the door behind him. "Screw that." He said, pulling her against him and kissing her.

She smiled against his lips, beginning to trail kissed down his jaw line. "I'll get you nice and clean Akito. You've been a dirty boy after all." she snickered, sneaking her hands into his shirt and then lifting it over his head. She tossed it aside, giving him another small kiss before pulling away and going over towards the bath. She leaned over, sticking her butt out a bit more than necessary, placing her hands on the edge of the tub. She started the water, feeling it for the right temperature. He smirked and walked up behind her. Bending over her, he reached up and grabbed her breasts in his hands, squeezing them.

"I'll need a thorough washing. I just can't seem to stay clean." He whispered in her ear.

She bit down on her lower lip, gripping the edge of the tub tightly. "I'll do my best to clean every inch of you." She tilted her head back, trying to get a look at him but was only met by his lips on hers. She moaned into his mouth, pressing her behind into his front. "Someone's excited." she teased, giving his lip a small nip.

"When aren't I excited?" he asked, grinding into her from behind. Then he stood and pulled down her shorts and underwear in one tug. She straightened and gasped, surprised by his actions. Once her sweet flesh was revealed to him, he grabbed her hips and pulled her against him. Placing his hands on her flat stomach he kissed her neck. "Would you like me to return the favor and wash you as well? I promise my performance will make you happy."

"As long as you use my favorite tool to clean me with." She snickered, letting her fingers fumble with the buttons to his pants. When it was undone, she pulled them down a bit, letting gravity take care of the rest. "Shall we?" she pulled away from him, stepping into the steamy water and sinking down. She let out an appreciative sigh and lifted one of her legs from the water. "This feels amazing."

He smirked down at her and slowly entered the water between her legs. "Really?" he asked, kneeling down and running his hands up her legs. "Then, it must feel even better than this. Since it's so amazing." He said, cupping her rear and lifting her against him.

She gasped, trying to grip the bottom of the tub but her fingers just slid against the smooth surface. "No," she whispered, letting her eyes close halfway. "Nothing feels better than this." She pressed her palms flat against the floor and arched her back moaning softly.

He ground against her slowly, and then lowered her back into the water and away from him. He grabbed the bottle of soap and lathered his hands. He lifted one of her legs from the warm water and began to rub in slow circles, slowly moving towards her pelvis. Once the whole leg was covered in soap he began the same process on the other one. When they were both cleaned he lowered them back into the water and rinsed them off. He grabbed the soap again and gave her a mischievous smirk. "Well, I can't clean everywhere if parts of you are submerged."

She sat up quickly, feeling the cool air hit her chest. She lifted her arms out of the water as well and let him continue his process, taking his time in certain areas. She bit down on her lip as he teased her. When she couldn't take much more, she pushed him down, submerging him in the water completely as well as herself. They came back up for air gasping a bit, she brushed some of his wet hair from his face and kissed him tenderly, thrusting her hips onto his. "My turn to clean you." She took the bottle herself and started washing his neck and slowly down his chest and arms. He let his head fall back and closed his eyes, reveling in her touch.

"I missed you so much those weeks we were apart." He said, placing his hand on her knee.

"I missed you too my love," she whispered, placing kisses along his collar bone. "I almost began to think…you would never come…" she admitted sadly.

He grasped her chin gently in his hand and kissed her softly. "I will always come for you. I promised that I would, and I always keep my promises."

She gave him a tender look, resting her hands on his chest. "Always?"

"Always, no matter what the odds or the cost." He said seriously, running his thumb along her jaw.

She closed her eyes, enjoying even his small gesture. Placing her hand over his she sighed. "Well, I better get your hair." She smiled sweetly, reaching over and grabbing the shampoo. She squirted some in her hand and started running her hands through his dark locks and massaging his scalp. "Finally, we'll be clean again." She snickered.

"Not for long. I like it when you get dirty." He said with a smirk, running his hands up and down her sides.

"Oh really?" she purred, "Do elaborate."

"Oh, you know." He murmured into her neck, nipping the soft skin. He brought his hands up and gripped her breasts. "Too many examples to speak of right now." He said, rubbing the sensitive flesh.

She huffed, tugging sharply on his soapy hair. "You're just being mean and don't want to think of any." She growled, pulling his head back and staring down at him. "Now tell me how you like it dirty, _baby_." She hissed with a dark smile, moving her hips against his in a teasing manner. She raised herself a bit, slowly moving back down and enjoying his irritated face from their pace.

He smirked and gripped her hips, lifting her up a bit. "Fast and hard." He said, lowering her onto him and swiftly entering her, causing her to let out a pleasured squeal. His eyelids drooped a bit at the feel of being inside her once more, and he moved her hips in a circular motion.

She leaned down, pressing her lips against his once more, pushing his back against the slope of the tub. She brought her hips up, needing to quicken their pace, but as she placed her hands on his shoulders they both slipped down into the water from the slick tub. Natsumi shot up and gasped, starting to laugh uncontrollably.

He sat up as well and smiled. Then he shook the water from his face, spraying her with water and increasing her laughter. "Guess we should think this through a bit more." He said. "We might have to try a different position."

"I can't grip onto anything with these slippery walls." She sighed, running her fingers along the edges. "Hm." She glanced around, wondering how they could make it work. "We could always go to the bedroom." She snickered, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Yes, we could. But…you're still a little dirty." He said, leaning forward so that she was dunked under the water. He sat up then and grabbed the shampoo while she was still sputtering. "Ready for me to wash your hair?" he asked, smiling slightly at her.

She giggled, looking more like her six year old self. "As long as you're gentle, this is an action that needs a tender touch."

He squirted the shampoo into his hand and rubbed them together, lathering his hand in the suds. Then he reached up and worked the shampoo onto her head and through her hair, making sure that he was careful not to pull any. Then he began to massage her scalp gently. Once he was done he dunked her again in order to rinse the shampoo out of her hair. Pulling the plug on the tub he stood and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around their joined bodies. He walked to the door as he held her and opened it, peeking out into the hallway. When he didn't sense the hermit near, he quickly made his way to their room, which was just across the hall. He shut that door and looked up at her. "Ready?" he asked. But instead of waiting for her to answer he lifted her off of him and tossed her onto the bed. Walking up to the foot of the bed slowly, he smirked. "Now tell me, how do you like it, _baby_?"

She stared up at him, her wet hair sprawled over the comforter. "Dominating and forceful." She snickered, eyeing his body hungrily. It had been a while since she had seen him naked, and she forgot just how delicious he really was. She lifted her hands, covering her breasts with her arm and her lower region with her hand. "Oh Commander Uchiha…please," she whimpered. "Don't torture me too badly. I don't know how much my body can withstand."

He slowly got on the bed and crawled until he was over her. "You know what they say, show no mercy." He said with a smirk. Then he grabbed the arm that was covering her chest from his view and moved it off to the side. He began to trail kisses down her neck and to her chest. Once he was past her collarbone, he kissed her breastbone and continued down. Reaching the underside of her breasts, he licked the soft skin sensuously, bringing his free hand up and running his thumb along the other mound, refusing to actually touch them.

She squirmed under his hold, not liking the fact he wasn't going to please her the way he usually did. "Akito…" she whined loudly, moving her other hand from its position and grasping his wrist tightly. She forced his hand down to her flesh, needing his touch.

"Hm?" he asked with a smirk, not moving the hand that was on her. He then began to outline her left breast with his tongue, still refusing to actually touch it.

"Please!" she begged loudly, arching her back. "Don't deny me what we both want."

He gave in to her pleas then and closed his mouth over the most sensitive part of her chest, causing her to moan at the feel of his tongue against her. He moved his hand as well, gently massaging the soft mound in his palm. After a few minutes of this he switched off, bringing up his right hand to please the breast his mouth just left. "Better?" he asked against her skin, continuing his actions.

She nodded, letting her hands lift to his face and run through his soft hair. "Akito, please, make me scream." Suddenly there was a loud banging on the door.

"You two better get dressed and stop your evening activities now! It is one in the afternoon and I'm half _blind,_ not deaf!" the old hermit yelled through the door.

Natsumi was as red as a cheery by now, ceasing her actions immediately. Akito lifted his head and made an annoyed face down at her. "I'm going to kill that old man if he does this every time we try and have fun." He complained.

She laughed and propped herself up with her elbows. "Well, we will see. But I suppose we should get dressed and go shopping for some things. Like clothes, toothbrushes, and things of the like." She smiled tenderly, leaning up and kissing him softly.

He returned her kiss and got off of her before he was tempted to do anything more. Then he looked over at a chair that was in the room and saw two sets of clothes laid out. "Hn. Well at least he gave us some clean clothes to wear before we can get our own." He said, picking up a pile and tossing it over to her on the bed. Then he began to get dressed in the all black civilian clothes, grateful for the fact that he and the hermit were about the same size.

Natsumi held up the clothing, noting that it was indeed the hermit's. It was nice and clean, but much too big for her small frame. She grabbed the shirt and tore it, making it smaller and having to tie the cloth around her chest. It appeared like a tube top, exposing her flat stomach and then she took another one of the bigger shirts and did the same thing, tying it into a skirt. She turned around, examining herself. "Well? What do you think?"

"I like it of course, but we'll get you some other stuff when we go shopping. I don't care if he's half blind, nobody gets to see that much of my woman." He said, kissing her.

She giggled, tugging her skirt down a bit, showing off her hips. "So this should be an interesting shopping trip."

He let out a sigh and took her hand in his, leading her to the living room where Fugaku was seated, reading a book. "Take that and come back when you're done. You may use as much as you need." He said without looking up and pointing to a money bag that was sitting on the living room table. Akito picked it up and noted how heavy it was.

"Thank you." He said, heading for the door with Natsumi. Once they were outside and down the beach a bit he opened it up and went wide eyed. "How can a lonely old hermit have this much money?" he asked, looking back at the shrine.

She shrugged taking the money bag and looking inside. "Maybe he was saving up or was wealthy before he became a hermit?"

"Maybe." He said, not fully believing it. There was something fishy about that old man, but he would figure it out later. They walked down the beach until they reached town, holding hands the entire way. Once they entered the small village they began to look for a clothing store. Finding one, they entered and Akito immediately grabbed some black shirts and pants, boxers, and socks. He also grabbed a couple pairs of loose pajama bottoms. Once he was done he looked at Natsumi. "I'm assuming you'll want to look a bit more thoroughly for clothes?" he asked, knowing that women liked to try on their outfits and make sure they fit properly and that they liked them, whereas with men it was just a simple task of grab and go.

Natsumi gave him a knowing look. "Of course. I have to find things that accentuate my body perfectly, yet are comfortable." She started looking through what the place had to offer. Some of the things she found she didn't need to try on, like some black shorts and shirts. She picked out a few undergarments and handed them all to him as she continued to look around the small shop. She tapped her chin after a while and nodded. "That's it for here, let's try the next one." She smiled heading for the door. "Darling since you have the money, you pay for everything and meet me across the street." She waved at him before leaving the store.

He grimaced and did as he was told. Although he didn't like the fact that she couldn't just find what she needed in one store. It's not like staying here required for her to look better than the other girls. But whatever. After he paid he picked up the bags of clothes and found her in a shop across the street that was full of various swim-wear and beach supplies. He walked over and grabbed a pair of plain black trunks that went down to his knees. Walking up behind her, he looked over her shoulder at the swimsuit she was looking at. "Please tell me you're going to try on a whole bunch and show them to me." He said, smiling at her from his vantage point on her shoulder.

She glanced back at him, smirking deviously. "Why baby, I didn't know you wanted to watch me try on clothes." She snickered, grabbing a few and heading towards the back. "Now just wait patiently and you will get to tell me which you like best." She winked, disappearing behind a curtain. She came back out, setting her hands on her hips and glancing back into the mirror. "Well what do you think?"

The bikini she had on was black, the top tied around her neck with thin strings, covering her breasts just enough, revealing her perfect cleavage. It tied around back as well with a small string. There were two white hearts decorating the left side of the top. The bottoms tied together at the sides, stopping just below her hip bones. There was a similar design of two white hearts on the bottoms as well, in the right side.

"God damn." They both heard from the door of the store. Two boys accompanied by an angry looking blonde were staring, mouths agape. Natsumi actually blushed, for the first time self-conscious of her body.

Akito sent them a threatening glare. "Get your own." He said, ushering Natsumi back behind the curtain and closing it. He stuck his head in and gave her body a once over. "I really like that one, but you can only get it if you're only going to wear it when it's just the two of us. Otherwise the male population on this island is rapidly going to decrease, and I won't be held accountable for my actions."

"Yes master." she rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile. She loved how over protective he was. It made her feel more like a treasure than she already did. She faced away from him and pulled on the back string, letting it fall loose. She took off the top and glanced back at him, winking, "Now get out you perv." She shooed him out.

He laughed and pulled out of the dressing room, only to see the two guys from earlier. But before he could utter a threat they looked at him with adoration. "Please, teach us your ways!" they begged.

Akito gave them considering looks, deciding on whether or not he should actually give them his advice. Although, in all honesty, he didn't know what it was that had drawn Natsumi to him initially, and he was too much of a jerk to know why she stayed with him. "Well," he began, rubbing his chin. "Treat her like a princess, because she is one, and no one else. Make her happy, even the simplest gestures will suffice nothing too fancy all the time. And, just be yourself. If she can't stand who you really are, then she isn't worth it. And vice versa. Right baby?" he called, looking back at the curtain Natsumi was behind.

She came out then, dressed back in her normal clothes. She handed her skimpy swimsuit to Akito and looked at the two boys with an innocent look. "Of course," she smiled brilliantly, making them melt. "Nothing is the end of the world, after all he tried to kill me." She pointed up at Akito, latching onto him then.

They both just stared at her, "You're seriously the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life."

"You must be a goddess…" the other said breathlessly.

"Okay now!" Akito coughed, placing his hands over Natsumi's ears. "Let's not inflate her ego more than it already is."

She placed her hands over his and laughed as she dragged her away. "Bye!" she waved to the two as they paid for their things and headed to yet another clothing store. Natsumi ran up to a boutique, marveling in the window as she pressed her face against the glass. It was filled with sun dresses. "Oh Akito we have to go in here!" she grabbed his wrist and dragged him in, beginning her search. He held in a groan. How much clothes did a girl need anyways? He was already good to go, and yet they were still shopping. For clothes. This was ridiculous, it was like wedding shopping all over again, and yet different.

She pulled two dresses from the rack and looked them over closely. "Akito which do you think looks better?" she faced him then, holding them both up.

He scratched his head. They looked the same to him. Both were the same color, and had similar designs. So he decided to randomly select one. "That one." He said, pointing to the one she held in her right hand.

"Am I boring you?" she asked, arching a delicate brow.

"Not entirely. I just don't see why we have to keep going places. I mean, we have clothes now, can we not just go back to the shrine? Unless there are other things you need like…feminine products…" he trailed off, looking away awkwardly.

She actually looked offended. "Not entirely?" her gaze turned into a sharp glare. "Well then give me the money and I'll finish shopping by myself."

He returned her glare, unhappy with her tone. "I'm not going to leave you in some strange village by yourself. Let's just hurry up and finish so that we can leave."

"Excuse me?" she snapped, getting the attention of the few people in the store. "Are you insinuating that I cannot take care of myself? News flash Akito, I've survived just fine for the past eighteen years without you hovering over me! I can take care of myself!"

"Of course I know that you moron! But I was raised believing that a man does not leave his woman unattended, so _excuse_ me for trying to be nice." He replied, crossing his arms.

Natsumi went wide eyed, as did every woman in the store. Her glare turned even icier, mimicking her father's. She threw the dresses to the floor and grabbed the bags, jerking them from his grip. "Go to hell Akito!" she shouted in his face, tears swelling in her eyes. She pushed past him and stormed out the door, disappearing in a swirl of sand before anyone could see. She was so angry she could barely focus enough to get herself all the way back to the shrine.

"Oh come on!" he yelled, throwing his arms up in the air. He stormed out of the shop then and decided to explore the village. He didn't want to see Natsumi right then, and if he took a little time, he would be able to calm down. As he looked around at the different stores, he noticed that he was being followed. Glancing out of the corner of his eye, he saw a girl quickly hide behind a cart of fruit. He rolled his eyes. He could still see her plainly staring at him.

She had blonde, curly hair that went down to her shoulders, framing her child-like face. Her eyes were a dull blue, not even pretty enough to catch anyone's attention. It was obvious by her clothes that she was part of a semi-wealthy family, and, judging by her slightly plump shape, she wouldn't know hard labor it if hit her in the face. Choosing to ignore her, he walked over to a dango vendor and bought some, wanting something to snack on. "I would never have done that to you." A squeaky voice said seriously from behind him. He just glanced at her as he began to walk away. He was hoping she would take the hint, but instead, she followed. "I completely agree with you, and, had such a handsome man as yourself been so courteous to me, I would have understood. In fact, I would have given myself to you right then and there on the floor."

He choked on his food and gave her a startled look. "What?" he asked in disbelief.

"You know. If I had someone as nice as you, I'd have sex with you all the time. My name is Beatrice by the way. And you are?" she asked, leaning up on her tiptoes before him.

"Akito." He said, having finally recovered from his shock. He resumed walking away from the strange girl, praying that she would leave.

"Akito? That's such a sexy name, for a sexy man." She said, smiling devilishly and following him. "So, since she left you, are you single? Wanna date me? I don't put out on the first date mind you, but if you kiss really well then that might change."

He looked at her as if she were the strangest thing he had ever seen. She was talking about making love as if it were no big deal, even though it was. On top of that, she was really weird and was creeping him out. He didn't even know her.

"Um, no. To all of your questions and/or offers." He said, looking for an escape route from this girl.

The blonde just bounced after him. "That's okay, most men are intimidated by my beauty. I'll just wait a while until you come around." She said, reaching out and trailing her hand down his muscular arm. He wriggled away from her.

"Oh look! A birdie! Gotta go bye!" he said, using a bit of his speed to get away from her. He decided to go straight to the shrine, completely done with the village and its inhabitants for a long time to come.

* * *

"AAAAGH!" Natsumi screamed, thrusting her hand forward and slamming the sand of the beach into the cliff side. She let out a frustrated growl. How _dare_ he! How DARE he! She couldn't believe Akito had just called her a moron. She didn't need a baby sitter, she was an assassin and she'd be damned if she let some man rule her life like he was trying to. _She _was the princess, this was her world and everyone else just happened to live in it. By now, she had changed into her new clothes. She had on some khaki short shorts with a tight sleeve less shirt, the collar going halfway up her neck. If he even tried to show his face here today she would maim him within an inch of his life.

She growled, she needed to find another way to vent. So she went back up to the shrine and found the cleaning supplies. She went to town then, scrubbing down the floors and the walls, making everything look brand new again.

Hearing the commotion and smelling the cleaning supplies, Fugaku walked down the hall and entered the kitchen. He saw a blurry vision of pink moving around, and surmised that she was cleaning. He was pleasantly surprised, having not expected her to actually clean on her first day in his home. But he could tell by her aura and the angry swirl of her now obvious chakra that something had set her off. So, going against his better judgment, he decided to ask. "Is something bothering you?"

Natsumi stopped in her scrubbing and glared back at the old man housing them. But she wasn't glaring at him. She just couldn't get the facial expression to go away. "That stupid asshole is an asshole." She growled out, throwing the rag she had been using into the bucket of sudsy water. He knew he would regret it, but he asked anyway.

"Would you care to elaborate?"

"He called me a moron! And was acting like it was pure torture to go shopping with me! And he made me so mad because he just wouldn't do what I told him to do!" she huffed, sitting down on the floor and leaning against one of the cabinets.

If he was one to snort, he would have. This girl was way too hung up on herself. He knew that the young man had been in the wrong by calling her a name, but the fact that she just expected to be treated like everyone's main priority was hilarious. Was she in for a rude awakening. It was then that the front door to the shrine opened, and shortly after Akito walked into the kitchen in order to get a glass of water. Seeing Natsumi he made to just leave, but not before the hermit grabbed his arm firmly. "Both of you, sit." He ordered, nodding to the kitchen table. When neither moved, his features hardened. "Now." He said authoritatively, causing both to obey. For some reason, they just felt like they had to do what this man said, because if they didn't, they would regret it. Once they did as he asked he looked at Akito. "Now tell me, why did you behave so rudely in the village?"

Akito glared. "I wasn't rude, she was." When Natsumi made to interrupt, the old man glared at her, silencing her immediately. "All we were supposed to get were the necessary clothes right? So I just don't understand why she has to go into every little shop and get a bunch of crap. I mean, I didn't have to do that, I was done in five minutes. And then she just expects me to carry the numerous items she wanted. Then when she asked my opinion on these two dresses, I gave it to her honestly, and she got mad, accusing me of being bored. Then she started yelling at me and getting all defensive, and then she left." He finished, crossing his arms. Natsumi glared at him and opened her mouth to speak when the hermit interrupted.

"You two need to get over yourselves." He said simply, having heard enough from both sides to understand what was going on.

Natsumi went wide eyed and stared at the old man. "Excuse me?"

He just looked at her. "I didn't stutter." He looked at Akito. "You need to understand that women enjoy shopping, and see it as quality time when they are with other people, especially their men. Relax and enjoy yourself and answer her questions nicely and honestly. Try to stop looking at things objectively, and just as out having fun with the person you love. You also need to recognize that she is a grown woman and perfectly capable of taking care of herself, so don't question it. And calling her names when she upsets you is unnecessary and low-class. Be the bigger person and just shut up." He said. Then he looked at Natsumi, and his next words wiped the haughty look off her face. "And you are not special by any means. Yes, he loves you and adores you, but there is only so much a man will take. Try and consider his feelings and needs instead of only your own. You are not the center of the universe. You could have asked him nicely to hold your things, and I'm sure, given his upbringing, that he would have been more than willing. People are more likely to respond better when you ask instead of order. And you don't need to get so upset when he doesn't want to do what you want to do. An important thing to keep in mind is that men are overprotective, always have been and always will be. So if he says something that comes off as him saying you can't handle yourself, it's more like he's saying he knows, but will still worry and would feel better about it if he was there with you." Then he addressed them both.

"Look, I'm not telling you what to do or anything, because quite frankly, I don't care. But it's pretty obvious you two haven't spent a lot of time together and so are not used to being around each other. Take the other's wants and needs into consideration before saying or doing something. If you do, then your relationship will likely last longer. If not, no matter how much you two love each other, it probably won't last. Because if you don't try and make an effort now while the dew is still on the grass, it will eventually dry out, and you may end up hating the other." Now that his piece was said, he turned and left the kitchen, wanting them to have time to themselves to think about what he had just said. Akito looked at the table in shame as he mulled over this new information. Then he looked over at Natsumi.

"I'm sorry. I'm just not used to shopping and having fun while at it. And, I know you're more than capable of killing anyone who tries to hurt you, but we're surrounded by water, so you can't use your sand as effectively, and I worry. Because if anything were to happen to you, I don't know what I'd do. And I didn't mean it when I called you a moron, I was just angry, and I shouldn't have been." He said, taking her hands in his and giving her a sincere look. Because he did mean it, even though he hated apologizing, it seemed he did that a lot with Natsumi.

She stared at him tenderly, getting up but not letting go of his hands. She stopped when she was in front of him and smiled sweetly. "I'm sorry too, I've never had to put someone before myself before…but you are my number one and I want to make you happy." She leaned down, pressing her lips against his forehead. "I know you just want to protect me, but I want to protect you too. I'm not a damsel in distress. I'm your warrior princess and I will treat you like you deserve to be treated." She said, nuzzling him lovingly. "As my superior, you are the man and I am your loving partner and will support you." She kissed him then, promising herself that she would always place him above her. After all, if a prince marries a princess, he becomes king. And she would make sure her king was given her full support and submission. "I love you Akito, I'm so sorry."

"I love you too Natsumi." He said against her lips, kissing her once more. Then he stood and picked her up in his arms. "Come love." He said with a smile, beginning to walk out of the kitchen and towards their room. "I don't care if it's not evening yet, I'm going to show you how much you mean to me. The old man can just get over himself."

She giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck as he carried her over the threshold. "Oh my, Uchiha Akito you naughty boy. No wonder you're now an S-class missing nin." She snickered evilly, placing a kiss on his cheek.

He smirked down at her as he kicked the door shut. "You know it. And now allow me to teach you the ways of us missing nins." He said, beginning to nibble on her ear and growl slightly, causing her to giggle.

At the sound of all the noises coming from the back room, Fugaku just rolled his eyes and turned the page of the book he was reading. If he had to put up with this for their entire stay here, he was going to go crazy.


	27. Façade

**Magnetism **

_Chapter Twenty-Seven_

-Façade-

_**One month later…**_

"Here you go Fugaku, Akito." Natsumi smiled brightly, setting down a plate in front of each man. They had been there for nearly a month now and it was simply bliss. There was no war, the people here were so friendly, and the old man had been more than open to having them there. It was odd, at times he seemed to know things he shouldn't and did things that were not normal for an elderly man. They were having omelets this morning and bacon. She sat down beside Akito, across from Fugaku, and breathed in the wonderful scent. "So good morning Fugaku, how did you sleep last night?"

"I would sleep better if you two could keep it down. They invented the noise reducing jutsu for a reason you know." He said, slicing off a piece of his omelet.

Akito paused in cutting his own breakfast and looked up at the old man in surprise. "What did you just say?"

"Nothing." Fugaku replied, taking a bite. "Breakfast is really good Natsumi, thank you."

"Oh you're welcome," she said happily, taking a bite of her own. "So Akito, what are you doing today? If you're not busy I was thinking that after I finish the laundry we could go into town for lunch and have a date." She looked over to him, hope filling her beautiful jade eyes.

He gave her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry Natsumi, I have a job to do today. Normally I would just cancel it or put it off for you, but after this job I won't have to work for the rest of the month, so we can do our date then. We can go on tons of dates." He said, trying to make this let down for her a bit easier.

She frowned, not bothering to hide her disappointment. "Well ok," she sighed, her bubbling aura seeming dark now. "I guess I'll just clean the house today. Maybe do some yoga." She fell silent then, stuffing another forkful of omelet in her mouth.

Now he felt super guilty. But he had already arranged and committed to this job earlier in the week. So he tried again, and placed his hand over hers. "You know…I should be done before evening, if you still want to go somewhere, I'll take you out to dinner, and we can go on a walk down the beach afterwards. But only if you want to." He said.

She shrugged, still not looking at him. "I'm sure you'll be tired when you get home, especially if it's going to take all day. We don't have to, it's alright." She continued eating, thinking of all the things she was going to do today to keep herself busy. She could train a bit, she hadn't practiced her taijutsu in at least two days.

His brow furrowed. "Natsumi, I could never be too tired for you."

She glanced over at him and gave him a small smile. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I know, but its fine. I promise."

He smiled back at her and finished his breakfast. Then he rose and kissed the top of her head. "I love you, and I'll see you tonight. We'll still do something special, I promise."

"Alright." She smiled happily. "Besides, now Fugaku and I can hang out _all_ day together!" she clapped her hands together, giving the elder an endearing look. He choked on his bacon and looked over at her.

"I have a few things that need attending to later, so not _all_ day."

She shrugged and looked back at Akito. "Have a nice day my love. Work hard and never give up!" she encouraged, looking back at Fugaku and smiling. She had grown fond of the old man, he was very kind, even if he pretended to be harsh.

The corner of his mouth tilted up slightly and he nodded. "Yes, have fun." He said, knowing what it was the boy actually had to do. And it was definitely going to be the opposite of fun.

Akito grimaced slightly, but headed for the door. "See ya later." He said with a wave as he left. Not wanting to walk the whole way to town, he simply used his speed, slowing down when the pier came into view. He stuck his hands in his pockets and walked uncaringly into the village. Once he reached one of the only restaurants in the village, he waited outside and crossed his arms.

He had been dreading this day since he committed to it. But once the job was done he would be able to spend weeks with Natsumi at the shrine. He'd never have to leave her and go to town, unless she decided that she wanted to go for some reason or another. That was the only reason he had agreed, because by staying at the shrine he would make Natsumi happier. And her happiness made him happy.

"Are you ready for our day of fun my dearest?" a squeaky voice asked him. He held in a groan and looked to his right. There, standing next to him, was Beatrice, wearing some frilly pink dress and too much make up.

"Sure, let's just get this over with." He said, pushing off from the wall. She wagged a finger at him and pursed her plump lips.

"Ah, ah, ah, Akito baby. Today you must be in love with me. Totally and completely. At least until my bitchy cousin leaves. And if you behave and are a good boy, Momma might give you a little tip in the form of her body." She said, wagging her eye brows in an attempt to be seductive.

He rolled his eyes. "Just the agreed amount will be fine."

She shrugged and latched onto his arm. "Whatever, you'll change your mind. Now let's go." She said, leading him into the restaurant. It took everything in his power not to push her off of him, and he kept repeating to himself that this would make Natsumi happy. When they walked into the special room set aside for Beatrice's little family lunch, he could see why she had hired him to be her boyfriend for the day. Her cousin was pretty attractive, with an ample chest, sultry hazel eyes and strawberry blonde hair, it was understandable that Beatrice would want to make her jealous. He wasn't attracted to the woman in any way, after all he had Natsumi, but it was obvious that this woman was used to having men fall at her feet.

When he saw the two women make eye contact he could feel the waves of malice and resentment between the two, he held in a groan. "Hello Cousin." The woman greeted, her voice a deep baritone of a man. Akito's eyes widened slightly. Did everyone in this family have a freakish or annoying voice? And he was going to have to put up with them the whole day?

This was going to be a long lunch.

* * *

It was near noon and Natsumi had just finished the laundry and the cleaning of the house. It was a beautiful day outside, and she actually enjoyed hanging the linens out on the lines. She looked around, walking towards the beach and out at the beautiful clear blue water as she fiddled with the ring she always wore around her neck. The ocean really was amazing and she even kind of liked it, when she wasn't on it.

She glanced around the area and decided since Fugaku had gone off to meditate, she would go and find a nice place to train. She went inside and changed into some black shorts and a black t-shirt that revealed her flat stomach. After she pulled on her ninja shoes she headed out along the tree line, trying to find a good place with lots of sand and a flat rock surface so she could have a steady footing.

She had gone along the cliff side now and noticed that it curved in a bit. "Oh a cove, perfect." She smiled to herself. But just as she was about to round the corner and go into the secluded area, she heard odd noises. It sounded like someone training in taijutsu. Carefully, she looked around the corner and went wide eyed at what she saw. Fugaku was following through with an elaborate taijutsu exercise. She studied him a bit more, to make sure she was correct. But there wasn't a doubt in her mind. That was taijutsu. "Oh my God!" she exclaimed walking from her hiding space. "You're a ninja!"

He stopped what he was doing and looked at her harshly. "No, I'm not."

"Yes you are." Her brow furrowed in confusion. "You were just doing taijutsu."

"No, I wasn't." he said, his face unchanging.

She blinked, growing angry now. "Yes you were! I just saw you!"

"Things are not always as they appear Natsumi. What you saw was me killing a mosquito."

She gave him a skeptical look, placing her hands on her hips. "Oh yeah? Well then you were killing that 'mosquito' in a very ninja-like fashion."

"Shouldn't you be making lunch right now?" he asked, raising a brow at her.

"For who? You're the only one home and you're out practicing taijutsu!"

"You should have your eyes checked out. It's not good to have bad eyesight in your profession. Now let's go, I'm hungry." He said, walking past her and towards the cove exit.

She went wide eyed and looked after him, "Profession? I do believe I have no idea what you're talking about." She huffed, following after him with her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Suddenly Fugaku turned on her, swinging a fist as if to hit her in the face. Out of instinct she dodged, feeling the wind rush by her face. Her eyes widened as she realized her mistake. Fugaku just straightened and folded his arms into the outer robe he was wearing and continued to walk away as if nothing happened.

"Sure you don't."

She glared after him, her muscles still tense from her instincts. This man was definitely not who they thought he was. She followed after him, watching his movements suspiciously. He couldn't be after them, there was no way news of their bounty had reached this island before they arrived. So who was he? They started up towards the shrine, but before she could voice her question someone shouted her name from down the beach.

"Natsumi!" a girl yelled, stopping when she was in front of the two. The brunette leaned forward, panting loudly, and resting her hands on her knees. She finally straightened, holding her hand over her racing heart. She had obviously run all the way here from the village.

The pink haired woman blinked, "Tetsu, what is it? Is something wrong?" she asked her friend.

Tetsu just pressed her lips tightly together, looking afraid. "Natsumi, it's…Akito. Nanaka and I saw him with Beatrice…they were in the café and…they were holding hands! Like they were on a date!"

Natsumi just stared at Tetsu for a moment, not fully registering what she had said. Her hands slowly clenched into fists and the sand around them began to pick up, looking menacing. The grains swirled around her angrily, correlating with the girls emotions. "What?" she seethed, her gaze shifting into a threatening glare.

Tetsu gulped, "I saw Beatrice and Akito on a date."

The next thing that both Tetsu and Fugaku heard was an ear shattering shriek. Before either could comprehend what happened, Natsumi was surrounded with her sand and disappeared from the beach.

"Great. You've just condemned Akito to death." Fugaku said, walking past the girl and towards his home. She looked after him in confusion, her simple mind unable to fully comprehend everything that had just happened.

* * *

Akito thanked the gods when Beatrice had asked for the check, signaling that lunch was over. Just a few more hours of this and he could go back to Natsumi. The entire meal had been a complete disaster. Both women had been vying for his attentions, and he had been forced to hold Beatrice's hand the entire time. They even started to bring up all the dirt they had on each other, and let me tell you, it was horrible. The reason they didn't get along, Akito surmised, was because they were exactly alike in their vulgarity towards men. Another reason was because one was beautiful, while the other extremely wealthy.

"Well, this lunch has been wonderful. Akito, would you like to go on a walk down the beach with me? You never know…we could go for a swim, even if I don't have my swimsuit." The cousin, whose name was Malory, asked him.

"Akito can't go with you stupid head! He and I are going to go have sex!" Beatrice declared, causing him to go wide eyed. The waiter sat the check down cautiously and snuck away, telling them to have a nice afternoon.

"Uh…I don't think-"

Malory stood then. "Why would he want to have sex with you when he can go skinny dipping with me? Then we'll have steamy sex on the beach. It'll be romantic!" she said.

Beatrice slammed down some bills and stood as well, glaring at the woman. "No! That's what Akito and _I_ are going to do!" She said. The argument continued in a similar manner, and Akito just sat back in his chair, forcing the grimace off his face. It would be so easy to kill these two and just put himself out of his misery. _So_ easy.

"I'm leaving." He declared, standing and beginning to walk away. Suddenly two leeches in the form of the cousins latched on to both of his arms and walked out of the restaurant with him.

"I know the most perfect spot on the beach where we can get naked Akito." Beatrice said, pressing into his side.

"So do I." Malory said, doing the same. Akito just stared forward, counting down the minutes until he got paid.

"No you don't, you don't live here." The blonde replied, snatching him out of the cousin's grasp. "Come on Akito, Momma wants to reward her man for being such a good sport during that entire lunch." She said, looping her arms around his neck and pressing into him. His entire body recoiled inwardly at the contact, and before he could get her off of him without it being obvious, his eyes widened as he felt a familiar chakra drawing near. And it was not happy.

In a movement faster than the eye could see, Beatrice was ripped off of Akito and slammed into a wall. Natsumi gripped the girl's dress and lifted her higher, keeping her pressed against the wall. "You wanna die _bitch_?" Natsumi seethed, making all three of them go wide eyed. Akito had never heard Natsumi curse. The pink haired woman started to laugh darkly, "Because I will rot you from your insides out!"

Malory walked up and stopped by Akito, staring at the sight, but mostly eyeballing the attacker. She was absolutely flawless, aside from her freaky hair color. But it seemed to fit her perfectly. She instantly became jealous, someone in the world was actually prettier than her? "Who is that?" she asked Akito.

He let out a sigh. "My fiancé." He said simply, causing Malory to go wide eyed. He just walked over to her. "Natsumi, it's not what you think."

"You!" she pointed at Akito accusingly, her glare now focusing on him, as she continued to hold the blond against the wall. "How dare you! Don't you _speak_ to me! I will kill you!"

He crossed his arms. "Honey, I know you're upset, but this is the job that I had to do today. Pretend to be Beatrice's boyfriend while her cousin was visiting. It was only for the day, and once it was done, I'd be able to spend the rest of the month with you. I figured we could spend that time planning our wedding…if you wanted." He explained, slightly embarrassed. But the fact that he was willing to put up with that crap again spoke volumes, _and_ he was actually going to participate and be nice.

Her glare disappeared and she stared at him for a moment. "Really?" she asked softly.

"We don't have to get married here, we can go somewhere else. I just thought you'd like a beach wedding and stuff. I was going to surprise you, but as you can see things didn't really go as planned." He said, rubbing his neck in slight embarrassment. He didn't really like the fact that he was showing his emotional side in public, but it was necessary in order to save Beatrice's life and continue to keep their charade in place.

She dropped her hold on Beatrice, who fell to the ground flat on her butt. Natsumi was in front of Akito instantly, taking his hands in hers. "Oh Akito, that's perfect. I can't believe you actually want to help me plan it! We should have it here, I don't want to get on a boat again and we can do it on the beach." She smiled brightly making Malory narrow her gaze in irritation. There was no way this was possible. This woman had a perfect form, perfect sized breasts, a beautiful face, a sing song voice, _and_ a gorgeous smile. It was so attractive she felt herself wanting to smile as well.

"_This_ is your fiancé?" Malory asked harshly, trying to pretend as if there was something wrong with her. Natsumi glanced to the side, looking at the other woman.

"Who are you?"

She crossed her arms, making sure that by doing so she was showing off some cleavage. "Beatrice's cousin and Akito's soon to be lover, Malory." She said with a glare. Akito shook his head, knowing that that wasn't a good idea to go around saying.

"Natsumi…" he said, not wanting her to go crazy again.

The pink haired woman glared hatefully at Malory. "Am I going to have to kill you? You wannabe slut." Malory's jaw dropped. Never had she been spoken to so rudely in her entire life. Akito placed his hand on Natsumi's waist and pulled her to him.

"It's not necessary baby. Let's just get the money I earned and go back to the shrine. Then I'll tell you all about my ideas for our honeymoon." He said, kissing her forehead sweetly.

She looked up at him and laughed, "Sweetheart, how is our honeymoon going to be any different than any other day? We already have sex all the time." She pointed out, pressing herself against his chest.

He cupped her butt and pulled her against him fully. "Because, this time we won't leave the room at all, for any reason. Unless you want to try the bathtub again, because I think I figured that one out." He said, giving her a mischievous look. Both cousins just watched in awe. Why couldn't either of them have a man as perfect and attractive as Akito? Suddenly they both had two more things in common. One: they wanted the sexy ebony haired man all to themselves, and two: they hated and were jealous of the beauty pressed against him.

Natsumi rubbed her hands up his chest. "Well then get your money, I want to start planning as soon as possible!" she giggled, leaning up and pressing her lips against his. He kissed her fully and when he pulled away he looked at Beatrice and held out his hand, silently asking for his payment. She just shook her head.

"No, the deal was we do the whole day. Since that didn't work, I guess we'll just have to go on a real date in order for you to be paid."

He glared at her. "No, the contract we signed clearly expressed that I was to go with you to lunch. I did that. It also said that I would still be paid if Natsumi found out, because that is something I cannot control. And if you ruin my month with her by not paying me, I will be the one to kill you." He threatened. Her ugly blue eyes widened and she hastily withdrew a wad of cash.

"Here." She said, tossing it into his waiting palm. Putting it in his pocket, Akito smiled down at Natsumi.

"Ready to get out of here? I've had enough of these two freaks as I can stand."

"Yup," she smiled, lacing her fingers with his and began to walk home. She stopped and pulled away from him, walking back to the two, smiling a bit too kindly. "Oh and if either of you even _think_ about my fiancé in such a way ever again or try and touch him. I will kill you in the most painfully slow way I possibly can. Do you understand?" she asked, turning extremely serious.

They both nodded enthusiastically, scared out of their wits of the woman. They just didn't understand why Akito had fallen for such a cruel woman. Satisfied with their reaction, Natsumi walked back to Akito and grabbed his hand in hers, resuming their walk towards home. Akito leaned close to her ear and whispered, "You have no idea how badly your violence turns me on, especially when you're threatening people."

She leaned closer to him, moving her hand to his front and pressing her hand over his obvious excitement. "Oh trust me baby, I can tell." She purred lustfully into his ear, not caring that they were in the middle of the street.

The noise he made was very similar to that of a purr, and he nuzzled her neck affectionately. "Perhaps later we can play prisoner. You can be the guard this time, I promise." He said, nipping her earlobe.

She giggled, already imagining what she would do to him. Then her playful expression fell, "Akito…" she said seriously. "There's something about Fugaku…today when I went out to train I saw him practicing taijutsu and I wasn't just imagining it. He really was. I don't think he's who he says he is."

"I don't think he is either. Sometimes he says things about clans and the ninja world he should know nothing about. Remember when we first arrived and he called me Sasuke? I know he knows my father personally, and not just by name. But I can't figure out who he is." He said, also becoming serious.

"We need to find out who he is, I don't think he's after us though. It wouldn't make sense."

"Yeah, otherwise he would have made a move by now. We'll confront him about it when we get back to the shrine." He agreed, already seeing the building further down the beach. She nodded and followed him in once they reached the house.

Fugaku was sitting at the kitchen table, expertly sharpening the kitchen knives. Without looking up he said, "I'm guessing nobody died, considering how you two haven't brought back a body or show any signs of just hiding one."

"We need to talk to you." Akito said seriously. His tone caused the old man to stop what he was doing and look up at them with a raised brow.

"Yes?"

"Tell us who you are, really. You know things about the ninja world that you shouldn't, you knew the moment you saw us who we really were, and yet you took us in anyways, and don't lie because I can tell. You can also move very agilely for an old man, and Natsumi saw you training in taijutsu. And don't lie and say you weren't, because she is an expert in that field, so she would be able to tell." He said, crossing his arms.

Fugaku set down the knife and sharpener and looked at them. "There is nothing wrong with being knowledgeable. Besides, it was easy to tell who you two were based on your looks and the vast amounts of chakra you have. You know, for expert assassins and such, you two are horrible about masking your chakra. The Academy is just not as good as it used to be it seems." He said, shaking his head in disappointment.

"See! Its things like that that you shouldn't know! If you don't tell us old man, I'll kill you, because I don't trust you." He said, green eyes narrowing.

"And I couldn't mask my chakra if I tried!" she huffed, crossing her arms. She was offended he thought so little of her. "I have too much for it all to be concealed."

"Yes well, your father does a much better job at it than you do. With the proper training, you would be able to hide more of it, effectively increasing your stealth." He replied. He had seen her use her sand after all, so now it was obvious to him who both of her parents were.

"How do you know my dad!" she pointed accusingly.

He looked at her like she was stupid. "You can't seriously expect me not to know after you used your sand to get to the village. Besides, even out here, we know who the Kazekage of Suna is."

Her face fell, looking annoyed. "That's it! I'm going to find out who you are the hard way." She launched at him, grabbing the knife before he could. Her movements were so fast that the elder accidently allowed his eyes to swirl into a dangerous crimson red. Natsumi gasped and jumped away from him. "You're an Uchiha?"

Akito's eyes had turned red in defense, and he had moved so that he was on front of Natsumi. "You can't be Uchiha, they're all dead."

"Says your father, who's an idiot." The old man replied.

"So! Madara is dead, and he killed his brother. Nobody is left!" Akito said, confused.

The hermit stood and his eyes shifted into the Mangekyou. "Now Akito, do you really think your only Uncle would be weak enough to let his little brother kill him?" he asked.

Akito's eyes widened. "You can't be…"

"Uchiha Itachi, in the flesh." He said, bowing his head slightly.

Natsumi went wide eyed, shoving Akito aside and running up to the old man. "No way! I heard so many things about you from my mother! You are really powerful! I knew it, she was right! There was no way Sasuke could have ever defeated you." She clapped her hands together happily. "It's a pleasure to meet you Uchiha Itachi, I'm Sabaku no Natsumi, but you obviously already knew that." She laughed, smiling brightly.

Itachi just looked at her. "Yes. Forgive me for not revealing myself sooner, but the whole reason I came out to this island was to get away from the ninja world and everything it entailed. So what better way than to let my foolish brother believe that he had killed me? Besides, I wanted to see how long it would take you two to actually confront me. I must say I am a bit disappointed that a month has gone by, but whatever." He said, deactivating his sharingan. Akito did the same, although he was still in shock over the fact that he had an uncle. And a cool one at that.

"So, since you are my Uncle, will you train me? I mean, I've learned from my father and stuff, but if I could train with you as my teacher, that would just be awesome. I'm sure there are plenty of things about fighting and the sharingan you could pass on to me." He said, becoming excited. He could get even better now.

"We'll see." Was all he got in reply.

"Oh! Itachi-sama! Akito and I are going to get married in a month!" she exclaimed happily, latching onto his arm. "This is so great that someone from Akito's family is here. Would you please help us with the wedding? I want you to be there of course, after all you have been taking care of us this whole time."

He looked at her and the corner of his mouth tilted up slightly. He was glad that someone in the Uchiha line could finally have a happy life. "Of course. I will pay for the entire thing, so don't worry about cost."

Natsumi went wide eyed, stunned to silence, which was a rare occasion. "Oh no Itachi-sama, I could never allow that. You've already done so much for us."

"That is because you are family. I do not mind, since I have tons of funds left over from my days in the Akatsuki."

The woman squealed excitedly, running from the room babbling on about the guest list, flowers, her dress, and other odd sorts of things. Itachi and Akito just exchanged knowing looks, both not entirely sharing in her enthusiasm, since they didn't like people or crowds. Itachi picked up the knife and sharpener and put them away. "Well, now that the cat is out of the bag, I hope you two won't mind if I go off and train for a while." He said, heading out of the kitchen. Once he was gone Akito sat down in a chair, processing everything that had just happened.

His long dead uncle was still alive and healthy. He was actually nice, and offered to pay for his wedding. He might even train him. It was then Akito smiled. Things just seemed to be getting better and better lately, and he hoped that he and Natsumi could stay out here forever without discovery. He rose then, and went to find Natsumi so they could begin their plans as soon as possible. The sooner they were married the better.


	28. Till Death Do Us Part

**Magnetism **

_Chapter Twenty-Eight_

-Till Death Do Us Part-

Natsumi stared into the full length mirror, taking in her appearance. She couldn't believe how nervous she was. She didn't really understand, she loved Akito, more than anything. Maybe it was because she thought he would realize what a terrible idea this was and call it all off. She let out a deep sigh and reached for the necklace she always wore. She frowned when her hand closed around nothing. Akito had her ring, but the reason for it made her smile, he only had it because he was going to be placing it on her finger in just a little while.

She glanced back at her reflection examining her dress. It was had thick straps made of a silky white material, and dipped low on her neckline, cinching just below her cleavage with a pendant made of pearls and sequins. It completely exposed the smooth skin of her back, and flowed loosely down to her feet, and the back of the dress had a train that trailed about a foot behind the dress. Her hair was pinned back on one side with a clip that matched the pendent on her dress. She took a deep, calming breath and tried to still her racing heart.

The door to her room opened and she turned around, seeing the eldest Uchiha. "Oh, Itachi-sama. Hello." She smiled.

He returned the gesture as he shut the door. "It is time. Are you ready?" he asked.

"I think so," she pressed her hand to her stomach, wishing she had eaten something before, but she might have just thrown it back up from her nervousness. She sat down on the edge of the bed, looking down. "This will be the highest form of treason. There's no turning back if we do this." She said sadly, thinking about her family for the first time in a long while. She wouldn't lie, she missed her father very much, even if he did hate her now.

He walked until he stood before her. "Tell me Natsumi, do you love Akito more than your country?"

She glanced up at him, a sad look on her face now. "Of course I do. That's why I left…even though it made my sister hate me."

"Then you are doing the right thing. For who would want to live in a village that does not wish for you to be happy? Besides, didn't your mother do something similar?"

Natsumi blinked and stood excitedly, "You're right! She left Konoha for my father, because she was pregnant with Toshiro." She took his hands in hers and kissed his cheek. "Thank you Itachi-sama." She released his hands and went over, grabbing her bouquet which was filled with white lilies and white roses. He held his arm out to her, and she took it willingly. When they heard the music start they left the shrine and made their way down the designated path towards the beach wedding.

Akito's heart stopped when he saw her at the end of the path. She was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen in his entire life, and she was going to be his forever. He felt a smile come to his face when he and Natsumi made eye contact. This was the happiest day of his life.

All her fear and doubt melted away when she saw him at the end of the aisle. He looked so handsome in his tux and his face was all the affirmation she needed. There were only a few people at the wedding, since she hadn't wanted it to be a big deal. This was hers and Akito's special day and it was only open to those lucky few. A few of their friends from the village, there was only about fifteen people sitting in white chairs on each side of the aisle, covered in rose petals. Even Beatrice and her cousin Malory were there, but obviously unhappy.

When they reached the end Itachi handed Natsumi over to his nephew and moved to take his place as the best man. Then the priest began his sermon. Akito looked from the priest to Natsumi and smiled at her. 'I love you.' He mouthed, running his thumb over the back of her hand. She looked up at him, smiling right back. The priest cleared his throat, announcing that each would make their own vow to the other.

"Natsumi, I love you more than life itself. I don't really know how I lived before I met you, but I'm glad that I did. My world seems so much brighter now, knowing that you're in it, and it makes me the happiest man alive knowing that you're about to share it with me." Akito said, his eyes portraying the emotion that he was feeling.

Her heart skipped a beat. She couldn't even feel her toes anymore. "Akito, I love you so much, I would throw away everything for you. Even my life. You are my stability and my rock and I know that you will always protect me and I will always protect your heart. My life is yours and I will be with you until the day I die, no matter what." She promised giving his hands a tight squeeze.

"Now," the priest cleared his throat. "Akito…do you take Natsumi to be your lawfully wedded wife, for better or worse, through sickness and health. Till death do you part?"

"I do." He answered, his grip on her hands tightening.

"And do you, Natsumi, take Akito to be your lawfully wedded husband, for better or worse, through sickness and health. Till death do you part?"

She moved closer to him, lacing her fingers with his. "Not even death would take me away from you. I do."

He nodded and gave each a look. "Now place the ring on each other's finger." He commanded. Natsumi pulled Akito's white gold band out from her bouquet, she'd even had it engraved on the inside. It said, _You hold the key to my heart_.

Akito removed his ring for Natsumi from the pocket of his tux. He'd had it polished and smoothed, since it had gone through a bit of wear and tear over the years he had worn it and when Natsumi had had it. Gently holding her left hand in his, he slid the ring onto her finger, where it belonged.

She had to stop herself from going weak in the knees from the feel of the ring on her finger. It felt so right. So perfect. She took his left hand and slid the ring on his finger, showing to the world that he belonged to her. "By the power vested in me and in front of this crowd of witnesses, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your beautiful bride."

Akito pulled her to him and placed his free hand on the small of her back. He leaned in and kissed her slowly, increasing the passion in order to show the whole crowd, particularly the freakish cousins, that not only was Natsumi taken, but he would never leave her for anyone or any reason. She leaned into his kiss, finally wrapping her arms around his neck. "I love you Akito." She whispered against his lips.

"I love you too." He replied. They pulled away eventually, and Akito led her back down the aisle. The attending villagers threw rice into the air and cheered. When they reached the end of the aisle he kissed her once more. "Now we can be together forever, my Princess." He said, tenderly stroking her cheek. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you my love," she smiled, pressing her nose against his. "Looks like we get our happily ever after, after all." She giggled, waving to the crowd before they disappeared into the house. "And so the Prince won his Princess."

"About time too." He said with a smile. Then he kissed her, and without breaking their contact, he lifted her into his arms and carried her back to their room. There were scented candles covering the bedside tables and windowsills, and the curtains were shut tight so that they were the only light in the room. The floor was littered in white rose petals, along with the mattress. He shut the door with his foot and pulled away from her face so that she could see what he had done earlier that day, since it didn't take him as long to get ready as it did her.

She glanced around the room in utter awe. "Oh Akito…its beautiful." She looked back at him and kissed him once more. He laid her down on their bed and crawled over her placing kisses up her neck until he reached her lips. She reached her hands up and placed them on his broad shoulders, kissing him back with as much passion as she could muster. Then the two made love, for the first time in their joined life.


	29. Hunt

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Twenty-Nine_

-Hunt-

_**One Month Later…**_

Minako sighed as she stoked the small fire she had made in order to stay warm. She was currently holed out in a small cave in order to get away from the rain that was falling. It was only going to get worse, she could tell. Ever since she was little she had always hated thunderstorms. Plain old rain she could deal with just fine. But the loud crashing of thunder and bright flashes of lighting had always frightened her.

Upon returning to Konoha with the army two months ago, Minako had been thoroughly questioned by Ibiki and Tsunade about the whole ordeal. What was worse was that both of her parents had been present for it, and Sasuke, who was none too happy by what she'd had to say about Akito and Natsumi's previous encounters. But it had all been the truth. So, after getting a lecture about how she should have told them when things first started and how disgracing this was, she had been ordered to go find Akito and kill Natsumi.

Suffice it to say that Minako was annoyed. She hadn't said a word because Akito was her best friend and fiancé, and she would do anything to protect him. But he hadn't even told her that he cared so deeply for Natsumi and had just left her to deal with the repercussions of his disappearance all on her own. If he had just been honest with her about how he felt, then she would have gladly called off the wedding. That way neither of them would be forced into marriage, and Akito could be happy with the woman that he loved.

But no. Because she had the byakugan and apparently knew Akito so well, she had been sent after him. She knew him all right, but he mostly kept to himself, so finding him was difficult. She had already searched through numerous small countries, fought numerous bounty hunters that were after the couple, and still found nothing. On top of that, hardly any of these desolate places had ramen.

She stood and straightened her skirt out, then ran her fingers through her long hair. She had chosen to wear her regular ninja clothes for this mission, since they were more comfortable and they made her status less recognizable. She had on regular ninja shoes, fish-net leggings that stopped mid-thigh, a short black skirt, a tight black shirt that scooped across her collar from shoulder to shoulder, its sleeves stopping before her elbows, and a purple vest that buckled at the straps.

After stirring the stew that she had put over the fire to cook, she walked to the entrance of the cave and looked to the sky. The worst of the storm was coming soon. Knowing this, the ebony haired woman walked back to her pallet, which was right next to the fire, and pulled a third blanket from her pack. She got cold easily, and the temperature had dropped since the rain started. Plus, laying under numerous blankets made her feel safer and more comforted. That way she could pretend she was at home, safe and sound.

Her body stiffened when she felt another chakra presence draw near. It wasn't one she recognized, so she quickly drew a hidden kunai from her shoe and got into a defensive pose. When she activated her byakugan to see who it was that was coming, her brow furrowed. What was Toshiro doing all the way out here? Now that she knew who was coming, she stood fully and put her weapon away.

The redhead pushed through the sheet of rain that was pouring outside. He didn't seem to take notice of the other presence in the cave. He shook out his hair, trying to get some of the water off him. This had been the worst day of his life, not only had he not been able to go home in two months, his sister had already gone to Iwa to be married. He had found no leads on where Natsumi and Akito could have gone, and nowhere he went could he sense his sister's sand or chakra. He froze suddenly, finally taking notice of the other person in the cave with him. He looked up slowly and felt his tense muscles relax. "Oh Minako," he sighed, relieved he didn't have to fight anyone. His brow scrunched in confusion, "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question. I was sent to retrieve Akito-kun, although I've been at this for two months and have found nothing." She said.

He arched a curious brow. "Really? I'm looking for Natsumi."

"Perhaps we could work together to find them. Have you found anything? Because I doubt they split up." She asked.

"Oh there's no way they spilt up." He actually laughed, surprised he was even feeling such a light emotion under the circumstances. "I've checked the entire north and the west. I was just about to head south, since she's obviously nowhere in the west. I would feel her if she were in the desert." He explained, shaking a bit to try and get some of the excess water off. "God it's really wet out there."

She smiled at him. "You are welcome to dry off by the fire I made. I've even started some stew if you're hungry." She offered, gesturing to her makeshift camp.

He glanced over at the fire, he was tired and cold, but should he trust someone who was his enemy? He sighed, she had never done anything to harm him before and she was very pretty. "If you don't mind, I really don't wish to intrude."

She waved it off and gave him a friendly smile. "It's no problem. I'm actually-" there was a loud crash of thunder then, followed by a flash of lightning. Minako let out a startled scream, and when she opened her eyes she realized that she had attached herself to the redhead in her fright. Her face turned a dark crimson as she slowly let go of his shirt and stepped away from him. "Sorry. I don't like storms." She explained, poking her fingers together the way her mother did when she was nervous or embarrassed.

He blinked, looking down at her a bit surprised. "Um…it's alright. It's not like I thought you were attacking me or anything." He shrugged, walking over to the fire and beginning to pull off his shirt and sand gourd. He laid his shirt out beside the fire and sat down next to it, so that he could dry faster. And placed his gourd beside him.

Her blush remained on her face as she watched him, and when she realized what she was doing she shook her head slightly and moved to sit on her pallet. She grabbed the spoon she was using and stirred the stew, making sure it didn't burn. "I have searched the east already, and found nothing. Although I did run into quite a few people looking for them as well. And trust me, those encounters got really annoying, really fast." She said, laughing slightly.

Toshiro looked over to her and nodded. "Yes I have run into a few as well. But they weren't too troublesome. After all, people tend to avoid fights with the Kazekage's son." He gave her a soft smile. "I've been looking in all the obvious places though...some hard…my sister hates water, so I assumed she wouldn't go overseas but now I'm beginning to think that she's on an island."

She perked up at this. "There are tons of islands in the south." She said reaching over and pulling her map out of her pack. She spread it open and bean to examine it. Then she leaned closer to Toshiro and showed him the map. "These are the more strategic locations, and trust me, Akito-kun is all about strategy." She said, circling a grouping of islands with her finger.

"I am well aware of this." He said a bit sharply, quickly changing his tone. He didn't want to be mean to the girl, he just wasn't used to being treated as an equal when usually he was the superior. He pointed towards a cluster of islands south of Tea Country. "This is the most probable area. The Crescent Kingdom has much knowledge of the war and who are the key players. So most likely they have sought refuge in Sea Country. That is if they even are on an island."

"If Natsumi-chan hates water, then an island would be the last place anyone would look for her. I suggest we search them first, and then the bigger areas of land if we don't find them. Some of the islands we won't even have to go on though, they are small enough that I should be able to see the entire area with my Byakugan. That will definitely save us some time. And you said you could sense her with your sand, right?" she asked, looking up at him.

He nodded, "As soon as I am within a hundred yards of her. I will be able to sense her."

"Great, then we can head towards Sea Country tomorrow." She said with a smile, rolling up the map. Then she took her stew off of the fire since it was done. "Are you hungry?" she asked, spooning some into a bowl for herself.

"Umm…" he stopped himself from answering. He felt a bit guilty for taking her food, but he was glad for the company. He had been alone for the past two months now and it was not something he was used to. He had always had his sisters with him wherever he went. "I am, but please help yourself first." He gestured.

"There's plenty for the both of us. Here." She said, holding her bowl out to him. He took it hesitantly, still feeling a little guilty. Then she took another bowl out of her pack and made another serving.

They ate in silence after that, not really knowing what to say since it was a bit awkward. "So…" Toshiro began, glancing at her through the corner of his eye. "What do you think about this?"

She sighed. "Honestly? I'm surprised but not really at the same time, you know? But there are two things I'm certain of. One, I no longer have to marry Akito-kun, and two, he must really love your sister to betray his country and defy his father." She said, shaking her head. "Because Sasuke-san is very scary."

"Yes…I know that…" he started sipping at the stew she had made, glad he had something to fill his stomach. "I must admit something…I knew their battle would end in their disappearance…"

"What?" she asked in disbelief, pausing in her eating.

He took a deep breath and set his bowl down, looking over at her. "When Akito hit my sister with that lightning and we took her back to heal her, she wouldn't wake even though all her injuries were healed. So...I went to find him and when I did it didn't seem like he was fighting against me. It almost seemed like he wanted to die."

She processed this information and nodded. "The few days that we were home after that battle he wasn't himself. He was more withdrawn than normal. He didn't even care that Sasuke-san told him he did a good job, which Sasuke-san never does. And he didn't join in the celebrations that the villagers held in his honor. If Akito-kun loved Natsumi-chan then, which I'm sure he did, then he probably wanted you to kill him, since I'm sure he felt awful about killing her."

"Well…I brought him back to Suna with me." He said quickly, still feeling ashamed for his actions. He was a traitor too and no one aside from his sister and the Uchiha knew, until now.

Instead of judging him for his actions, she smiled. "You wanted to see if he could get Natsumi-chan to wake up, right? She is fortunate to have a brother who cares so much for her." She complimented, finishing off her stew.

He frowned. "I guess so…but if I hadn't, at least she'd still be in Suna. And it doesn't help that Satomi is now gone." He sighed, not feeling hungry anymore. "I've lost two of the only people I ever loved."

Wanting to comfort him, since she didn't like it when people were upset, Minako hesitantly reached out and placed her hand over his, patting it lightly. "Things will be fine, you'll see. All you have to do is find your special someone to complete you, and then you'll never be lonely." It was then that she realized that what she was doing might be overstepping her boundaries, she removed her hand and sat back, fidgeting slightly.

"It's not that…I know that will change but the last time I saw either of my sister's was not ending on a good note. Natsumi probably thinks I hate her and I _am_ mad at her for leaving and Satomi left for Iwa thinking I didn't care about her. I just wish I could make peace with them…they're my baby sisters." He leaned forward resting his face in his hands. He found it odd that he could find comfort in her gesture and was sad when she had taken it back. But he wouldn't linger on that.

Since he hadn't said anything the first time, she figured it was okay and moved closer to him, placing her hand on his shoulder. "They are your sisters. If they know you as well as you know them, then they know that no matter what, you love them."

He actually forced out a laugh. "You don't understand, Natsumi and Satomi are nothing alike. Despite the fact that they are twins, they couldn't be more different. I think the only thing they have in common is their arrogance."

Her brow furrowed slightly. "Well, then after we find Akito-kun and Natsumi-chan we could go to Iwa and see Satomi-chan if you want. Then you can talk to her and see how she is doing with her marriage and such." She suggested.

"Engagement." He corrected. "She won't be married for another few weeks or so. My parents are going to have these certain people executed. It was the only way they would accept the proposal."

"Oh. Well then you can meet the man she is going to marry and see what you think. Since you'll be related to him soon."

"Don't remind me." He sighed, leaning back against the cave wall.

She pat his shoulder and stood, stretching before making her way back to her pallet. "Try to look on the bright side of things. That's what I do." She told him, sitting down and pulling off her shoes.

He moved a bit, situating himself more comfortably. "I guess you're right. We will just set out in the morning and find Akito and Natsumi. I know it." He nodded to himself and crossed his legs as well as his arms. Minako gave him a considering look before grabbing one of her numerous blankets and holding it out to him.

"Here." She offered.

He glanced down at it and slowly took the offered warmth. "Thank you." He said, draping it over his legs and leaning back against the wall.

"No problem." She said, getting situated underneath her own covers. She lay down and got comfortable, letting out a sigh. She felt safer with Toshiro in the cave with her, and surprisingly the storm wasn't bothering her anymore. "Goodnight Toshiro." She mumbled, already beginning to drift off.

"Night."

* * *

"Yeah I saw em'. The brute threatened to gouge my eyes out if I looked at his woman again." The old fisherman told them, grimacing at the memory.

Minako smiled. "That's definitely Akito-kun." She and Toshiro had traveled as fast as they could until they reached a small port town in tea Country. After asking around a bit, they learned that two people with similar characteristics to Akito and Natsumi had passed through a few months back, and had left on a ship.

"And the woman was prancing around like she was some type of queen, that is, until she got on the boat. Threw up before we even left the harbor she did." He continued.

Toshiro nodded. "And that's definitely Natsumi. Can you take us to the island that you took them to?" he asked.

The old man smiled, showing his rotting teeth. "Of course, but you'll have to pay me one thousand yen, since your friends got a ride for free. Unless you can't afford it, then I'm sure we can work out some sort of arrangement." He looked over at Minako and eyed her up and down, his expression making her uncomfortable.

Toshiro couldn't help but glare at the man. He was a gentleman and he would be damned if he let anyone talk that way to a lady. Especially a lady that was his friend. Because after the past couple days of traveling with Minako he had solidified his friendship with her. He found her company more enjoyable than anyone else's…even his mother's. He stepped forward, gripping the older man's collar and glaring down at him with an icy glare that was even scarier than his father's. "Listen here, I can pay you, but if you ever speak that way about her again I will rip your insides out. Do you understand?" he seethed, lifting the man a bit off his feet since he was much taller than the fisher.

He nodded enthusiastically, shaking in fear. "Y-yes, I understand. I'm sorry." He sniveled, looking from the angry redhead to his companion. Minako just nodded to him and placed her hand on Toshiro's arm in an attempt to calm him down. Although she was extremely flattered that he had stood up for her.

"I can pay for some of the fare as well. I don't want to be a burden." She said softly.

"It's not a burden," he said simply, releasing the man now and digging in his pocket for his money bag. He fished out the proper amount and dropped it into the fisher's dirty, grubby hands. "There. Now let's go. We don't have any time to waste."

He stuffed the money in his pocket and hastily made his way to his ship in order to get it ready. Minako gave him a concerned look. "Will you be alright on the water with your sand?" she asked.

He glanced over at her, giving her a skeptical look. "I can handle my own, besides, my sand isn't the only weapon I have and I don't get sea sick. Water doesn't bother me like it does my sister." He walked forward then, getting on the boat and helping her on as well. Once they were both on the fisherman took off, steering them to the island he hadn't visited since he had taken the other two ninja months back.

"The island your friends are on is called Kika Island. It'll take a few hours to reach it, so just sit tight." He said, making sure not to look at Minako, for fear the redhead would threaten him again. Said girl just walked over to the front of the boat and watched the waves hit the side. She had very rarely travelled in such a way, and it was nice to be able to relax for once, not really in any rush to reach the shore.

"Do you think…we will have to fight them when we find them?" she asked, the thought making her sad. He stopped next to her, leaning forward as well and staring down at the crisp water.

"Probably not…" he sighed. "Most likely we'll walk into some really awkward situation and have to calm Natsumi down in some kind of way." He groaned aloud as he thought about it. His sister was so irrational sometimes and he really didn't want to deal with her antics.

She laughed at his reaction. "Well I'd rather deal with that then having to fight my friends."

"Yeah," he agreed. The seas were calm the whole way to Kika, and when the island came into view Toshiro headed to the bow of the boat and stared at the land until it was more than just a speck on the horizon. They docked quickly and the man didn't even spare Minako another glace, still looking pale from his second death threat.

The two walked towards the town. "She's here…" he told her. They had just entered the small village when a hefty looking blonde spotted the two. She had a strawberry blonde with her, who was pretty attractive until she spoke. "Well hello there handsome. I haven't seen you around these parts." She said, but he could have sworn it was a man who was speaking to him. Minako just ignored her and got straight to the point.

"You wouldn't happen to know where a couple is staying would you? One is a man with black hair and green eyes, and the woman has pink hair. It's hard to miss." She asked. The plump blonde sauntered closer to Toshiro and eyed him up and down.

"Yeah, but we don't want to talk about them." Her squeaky voice said. The other woman mimicked the blonde.

"We'd much rather get to know you." She said, beginning to walk her fingers up his arm. Minako glared at the women and grabbed the offending hand that was touching the redhead. She could tell such contact was bothering him anyways.

"If you won't tell us, then we'll ask for help elsewhere, since it seems you two are useless." She said, sending a bit of chakra into the woman's hand, causing her to snatch it away from the pain.

"Minako," Toshiro scolded, giving her a disapproving look. He let his hand rest on the small of her back and looked back to the two girls. They obviously knew who they were looking for, and he didn't want to waste time interrogating other villagers. "Ladies, please." He cleared his throat, seeing the disappointed stares at his contact with Minako. "My name is Sabaku no Toshiro. I am the son of the Kazekage of Suna. It is pertinent that we find these people. The woman with pink hair is my sister and I would truly appreciate it if you would tell us where they were. It is of upmost importance."

The nicer looking of the two smiled at this new knowledge. "Well, we wouldn't want to get in the way of your search. They're staying with the crabby old hermit in the shrine on the northern point of the beach. Just go back down to the pier and take a right." She said, trying to appear sexy.

"Thank you." He bowed his head slightly, not sparing the two another glance as he took Minako's hand and led her away from the two and down the beach in the direction the girls had pointed. It took a lot longer to reach the shrine than they had originally thought, but once they made it they stopped at the front door and knocked loud enough to hear, but not in an obnoxious manner.

A few moments later the door opened revealing an older man. He gazed at them for a few seconds, his dark eyes not betraying any hint of surprise. "Ah, so they've finally been caught." He said. Then he opened the door wider and stepped aside. "Come in. They will be back shortly, and until then, why don't you tell me the severity of the situation?"

Toshiro and Minako exchanged a look and did as they were told. He didn't seem to be as cranky as they had been told, or rude, for that matter. But they were thankful that they obviously had the right place, and that they would see Akito and Natsumi soon.

* * *

Akito was carrying Natsumi on his back as they came down the beach. They had decided it was a nice afternoon, and went on a picnic in one of the many flower fields in Kika. Natsumi nuzzled lovingly into Akito's neck. "That was wonderful Akito." she giggled, touching his nose gently with the daisy she was holding. Both of them had on crowns of flowers that she had made them in the field. He smiled back at her, trying to avoid her flower. He had his arms looped under her legs, enjoying their carefree lifestyle.

Once they reached their home he let her down slowly, earning a kiss on the cheek. She laced her fingers with his, pulling him towards the house. "I love you so much sweetheart." She snickered, kissing his lips.

He returned her kiss and smiled back at her. "I love you too."

She reached for the door knob and froze going wide eyed. "It can't be…" she trailed off, her entire body tensing. It wasn't possible. Toshiro could not be here! Natsumi slammed the door open and rushed in, followed closely by Akito. She slid to a stop, her arms raised and her body ready for taijutsu as Akito did the same, placing himself in front of his bride.

But what they saw startled them. Itachi, Toshiro, and Minako were sitting in the kitchen peacefully, drinking tea. Natsumi blinked, taking in the scene. "What the _hell _is going on?" she demanded. "What are you doing here Toshiro?"

"I came to find you, what do you think I'm doing here?" he asked calmly.

Minako looked at them oddly. "What's on your head Akito-kun?"

Realizing that he was still wearing the crown of flowers, Akito ripped it off and hid it behind his back in slight embarrassment. "Nothing." Then he looked at his uncle. "Why did you let them in?"

Itachi just shrugged and took another drink of his tea. "They seemed nice enough to me, and I like company."

"No you don't." Akito countered.

"You can't hide out forever, Akito. Besides, after being stuck with you two for the past few months, it's a nice change. They are a more harmonious couple than you two first were." He said, raising his cup in Toshiro and Minako's direction. Minako gave him a confused look.

"What?" she asked.

The eldest Uchiha looked at her. "You and Toshiro get along great for a couple, a lot better than these two did when they first arrived."

Natsumi and Akito stared at them in horror. But luckily, Toshiro spoke before either of them could. "We are not a couple." He said simply. "I just came for Natsumi and Minako here is Akito's ex-fiancé." The redhead gestured towards the ebony haired woman.

Itachi looked at Toshiro like he was crazy. "Are you blind? She's perfect for you." This caused Minako to blush, and she just grabbed one of the muffins on the table and stuffed it into her mouth so that she wouldn't have to say anything.

Toshiro just arched his brow and decided to remain quiet. "Well…anyways." He got up then and walked towards Natsumi. "Come on Natsumi. I'm going to bring you home."

"No."

Surprisingly enough, the answer shocked the redhead. "What do you mean no? I've been looking for you for two months. I'm not allowed back to the village unless you're with me. Mom and Dad miss you."

"I don't care." She glared at him, knowing her brother and if his first approach didn't work he would resort to violence. She latched onto Akito's arm, hiding behind him somewhat. "I'm staying with Akito. I love him."

"Natsumi you don't love him, you don't even know him." He tried to reason with her now, they really had only had a few encounters before this little episode.

"Yes I do! I know Akito better than anyone!" she snapped, keeping her grip on him.

Toshiro sighed and looked back at Minako, "Please reason with them."

She stood. "Akito-kun, you have responsibilities in the village. You're one of the Commanding generals of the army now, the people need you. The village needs you."

He just looked at Minako. "They don't need me. They only want me to use me as a weapon against the other countries. There are plenty of other good shinobi that can take my place. Heck, you could even replace me Minako."

Her brow furrowed. "You know I won't. I don't want another reason to be out there amongst all the killing and bloodshed. Besides, my father is going to become the Hokage soon. He would never allow me to be out there, you know that."

"Well I'm not going back. Natsumi and I are happy here with my Uncle." He said, moving his wife behind him a bit more.

"You don't understand Akito-kun! I can't go home until I bring you back! Do you know how many countries out here have the type of ramen that I like? Hardly any! I'm dying without proper nutrition!" she exclaimed, trying to plead with him.

He gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry Minako, but I'm not going anywhere where Natsumi can't join me."

"You two are fools, how can you just throw your villages away? Your family?" Toshiro yelled, growing angry now.

"Because they were willing to throw us away Toshiro. I know you live in your little protected bubble that Mom and Dad put around you, but they put us out there to do or die! Why the hell should I serve them?" she yelled back, the two butting heads against each other.

Itachi spoke up then. "They can't be together because Konoha assassinated some on Suna's council members, correct?" he asked.

"Exactly!" Both Toshiro and Natsumi said together. They stopped and looked at one another, pulling apart quickly. This was no time to be connecting as brother and sister.

Toshiro cleared his throat and looked at the elder man and the Akito and Minako. "Four Konoha Anbu targeted three of our council members while they were traveling back from the Daimyo. It was a malicious attack that could not be tolerated. Konoha destroyed the peace between our villages and thus began the fourth ninja war." Natsumi nodded, crossing her arms.

"And some people from Konoha have the nerve to think my Dad kidnapped my mother in order to make weapons." She growled, just thinking of it made her angry.

Akito gave them a confused look. "Konoha never ordered that attack, you must be mistaken. I've looked through the secret records, and trust me, it isn't in them. Not even the Black Ops were given that mission."

Minako nodded. "Besides, with Tsunade-baa-chan as Hokage, it would not have been tolerated. And the Elders aren't stupid enough to order such a thing and break such a beneficial alliance."

Before anything more could be said, Itachi spoke up again. "It was a set-up."

"What does it matter?" Natsumi sighed.

Toshiro nodded. "Now, even if this knowledge were to get to my father and Tsunade, the hostilities and bloodshed between our villages is in the hundreds. It's no longer just about this false attack from Konoha. Besides, while my mother went to Konoha years later to work out negotiations, Konoha Anbu attempted to assassinate my sisters." The redhead said seriously, making Natsumi look down as she remembered how scared her mother had been. Even Satomi had changed. She never talked about it, but she had overheard her mother telling her father about it.

Akito's eyes widened. He had never heard about that. It would explain why Natsumi had left the village so suddenly without saying goodbye. His hope for the two villages becoming friends again diminished. Because if the Kazekage's children had been threatened, then hell would have to freeze over before he made an alliance with the village that tried to get rid of them.

"Well, if all four of you go and get proof of this, then that's a start. Sure it will take a while for negotiations to go through, but if Naruto is going to become Hokage, then I'm sure something will be worked out. After all, isn't he friends with both the Kazekage and your mother?" Itachi asked.

"That is what he says, and I know the bonds of friendship run deep, but I don't know…" Minako said. "I was there when the Elders sent those Anbu to kill Satomi-chan, and it was scary. Sakura-sama was _not_ happy, so I doubt she would entertain the idea of working anything out."

"Well…" Toshiro began, he looked to Natsumi when he said this. "Mom and dad _are_ forming an alliance with Iwa…so maybe one with Konoha isn't totally impossible."

Natsumi stared at her brother in utter disbelief. "Why? How?" she gasped. She knew the history between Iwa and her parents and it was not something that was easily forgotten.

The redhead grimaced, which only made her grow more nervous. "Iwa proposed a marriage. And Satomi apparently agreed. She's already in the Village Hidden in the Rocks now."

The world seemed to have frozen. Satomi was getting married to some guy in Iwa? And her parents were allowing it? "WHAT?" she screamed, sand bursting through the windows and swirling dangerously around it's mistress as she breathed harshly, a psychotic look washing over her face.

Akito placed his hand on her shoulder. "Honey, take deep breaths. If you're so upset about it, we can always travel to Iwa and see your sister." He suggested. "Just try not to destroy the shrine you spent so much time cleaning and fixing up."

The sand slowly began to die down as she regulated her breathing. Toshiro watched the interaction, trying to hide his surprise. He was actually impressed that the man could calm the violent storm before it destroyed its surroundings. Natsumi looked back at Akito, "Could we…? I know it's dangerous and if you don't want to leave your uncle I understand." She said, frowning. She still couldn't believe it until she saw it.

"Its fine, I'm not going to up and disappear." Itachi said.

Akito nodded. "Yes, we can." Then he looked at Minako. "You may come with us if you wish, but I'm still not going to come back to the village with you unless it's guaranteed that I will get to be with Natsumi."

She nodded. "Very well. I shall come. What about you?" she asked, looking up at Toshiro. She wouldn't admit it aloud, but she didn't want her time with the redhead to come to an end.

"Now that I've found Natsumi, I can't just let her run around as she pleases. Besides, going to Iwa will benefit me as well. It's killing two birds with one stone." He shrugged, crossing his arms. Natsumi sighed and looked over at Itachi. She didn't want this life to end. She loved it. Spending every day with Akito, being with Itachi, and nothing but peace. She wondered if the world had actually once been like this, where the war did not exist.

She left the room then, not knowing how to respond properly. If she was leaving she would have to change and pack her things for the journey. Something told her she wouldn't be coming back any time soon. Akito followed her, pulling her into his arms when he entered their room. He kissed her sweetly, stroking her cheek when he pulled away. "Things will be fine. You'll see. As long as we love each other, nothing can pull us apart. I promise."

She didn't look back at him, she just leaned against his chest and stared at her wedding ring. "How do you know? We're going back into that battle field. We're going to Iwa…what if something bad happens?"

"If anything bad does happen, know that I love you no matter what. And if we are pulled apart, my heart is still with you. Always." He said, grabbing her hand and placing it over his heart.

She smiled at him, leaning into him once more and pressing her forehead against his chest. "I know that. And mine is yours, always." She repeated, staying his arms. Finally, they pulled away from one another and changed into their normal ninja clothing. Now Akito could wear his clan's symbol once more. Natsumi tugged on her gloves and then grabbed her packed bag. She looked over at Akito, seeing he was ready as well. She took his hand tenderly and sighed, "Do you think we should tell them that we're married?"

"We can do whatever you wish. They'll find out eventually, but it might be best for them to warm up to the idea of us being together, especially your brother. I'm pretty sure Minako is fine with it." He said, running his finger over her ring.

She nodded, "But you did leave Minako for me. And my brother knew about us before anyone else." She pointed out.

"So we'll wait a while to tell them. Maybe after we see your sister, so that way everyone knows." He suggested.

She went wide eyed and shook her head. "No, no! If Satomi finds out she'll kill you!"

"Fine. Then we keep it a secret until after we leave Iwa. You can just write your sister or something."

"No, no." she held her head with her hands. "I don't know. This is just…ugh…they weren't supposed to find us."

He placed his hands over hers in an attempt to comfort her. "I know. How about, we keep it a secret for now? At least until we know if our villages will form an alliance or not."

She looked up at him, looking like a lost child. She wrapped her arms tightly around him and buried her face in his shirt. "What if that never happens?"

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. "Then I will come get you and take you away. We can go somewhere else, another continent maybe. But I will stop at nothing until we can be together." He said, kissing the top of her head.

She closed her eyes, tightening her grip on him. "I love you Akito." She whispered, knowing he meant every word. But it saddened her to think, if they had to run, they would never see the people they loved ever again.

"I love you too." He kissed her lovingly then, so that there wasn't a doubt as to how he felt. When they parted he picked up his sword and strapped it onto his back. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah," she nodded, doing the same with her own. She needed to see her sister anyway. She missed her and there were things they needed to clear up. Natsumi pulled on her bag and left the room, followed closely by her husband. She was ready to face the world again.

* * *

"No…no…no…no…no…no…no…no…NO!" Natsumi finally yelled, backing up from the dock. "There's _no_ way I'm getting back on that boat!" she bellowed. Toshiro and Akito sighed together and went to either side of the pink haired woman. She looked back and forth between the two, who then grabbed her arms and started pulling her towards the docks again. "NO!" she screamed, fighting against them with all her might. They were drawing the attention of everyone now, since it sounded like someone was being attacked.

"Come _on_ Natsumi! It's just a couple hours!" Toshiro growled as he struggled against his flailing sister.

Minako just watched the entire thing, eyes wide. She was really thankful that Toshiro didn't have the problems with water his sister did. Akito let go of his wife. "You know what? Natsumi and I will just meet you two at the port in Tea Country." He said, making a few hand signs and summoning Kei. He hopped on and looked down at the pink haired woman, who was staring up at the bird, slightly startled. She had never ridden one of these things before, and was a little unsure about the whole thing. Akito raised a brow. "Well? It's this, or the boat." He said, holding his hand out.

"Um…" she glanced back at the boat, watching it move in the water. She could already feel herself getting sick. "Ok." She said, taking his hand.

Toshiro sighed and crossed his arms angrily. "Fine. Whatever. We will meet you there."

He nodded at them and then wrapped his arm around her waist as the hawk took to the skies. They both stepped down to the boat, and Minako activated her byakugan to make sure that Akito and Natsumi were in fact headed for the shore. Once she was assured, she deactivated her eyes, noticing that the fisherman was giving her an odd look. He just shook his head. Even out here people had heard of strange eyesight where veins appeared and you could see anything you wanted for miles. It was one of the many rumors of special traits that ninjas had. "Kinda creepy knowing that you can see through things." He said. She sighed and just looked out over the water. She didn't really feel like explaining some of the things about her bloodline limit right now, especially to some civilian.

Toshiro sat down and leaned back, looking out at the ocean. "This is going to be a long trip isn't it?" he asked her.

"Most likely." She said, resting her hands on the side of the ship and looking out at the waves. She knew it would be a while longer before she got to go home, but at least now she had Akito. That was one step closer to her goal at least.


	30. Journey

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Thirty_

-Journey-

Natsumi had her arms wrapped tightly around Akito's waist and her eyes closed tightly. She couldn't tell if this was better or worse than the boat. After all, they were still over the water, only hundreds of feet above it. "Happy place." she whispered to herself, pressing against his back. Akito looked back at her over his shoulder and smiled.

"Natsumi, Kei is not going to let you fall, and neither will I. You might actually enjoy flying if you open your eyes and take a look at the scenery." He suggested, earning an encouraging squawk from the bird below them.

She shook her head, her fear overwhelming her. If she looked she might fall and if she did how would he catch her? Reluctantly, she opened her eyes, against her better judgment, and peered around at the brilliant blue sky. She moved her head away from him, keeping her arms in place. "Wow," she breathed out. It was amazing and the clouds were literally within grasp.

"I told you. I used to dream about sharing this beauty with you." He said softly, turning in her grasp and wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

She glanced up at him, arching a delicate brow. "You used to dream about this?"

"More like hoped. But they're basically the same." He said with a small smile. "I chose hawks as my summons instead of snakes or dogs like my father and sensei because flying with them, riding on their backs, made me feel free from all obligations and duty. The sky is the only place where I am not considered a weapon for the village. And, after meeting you, I thought you too would enjoy it."

She gave him a warm smile and snuggled into his embrace, looking back out at the sky. "I like it a lot…though I still would be more comfortable if we were flying over land. You never know, I might get daring." She snickered, kissing along his jaw line.

He turned his head and kissed her fully on the mouth, bringing up his other hand and cupping her face. When they parted he smirked at her. "You mean frisky."

"Haha, no." she snickered, rubbing her hands up his chest. "I mean daring, as in. I've always wanted to try free falling."

He raised a brow at her. "And what, might I ask, will catch you?"

She smirked deviously. "My dearest," she purred, placing her index finger over his lips. "My sand of course, I can dissolve or have it simply slow the fall and save me. Or we could always play catch."

"In that case," he said, pulling her closer. "We can do it if you like. We will reach the shore in about five minutes, and it will be a while before Toshiro and Minako catch up." Then he lowered his arm and cupped her butt. "We may even have time for some…other things." He said suggestively.

"I'd prefer other things, if you don't mind." She whispered seductively into his ear, lowering her hands to his pant line. She yelped when the bird took a nose dive, earning a yell from the pink haired sand mistress. She was latched onto Akito like a frightened cat, her hair blowing back from the speed they were going towards the dock. Akito just laughed freely at her reaction. They landed softly, and he looked down at her frightened face, his full of humor.

"Well? You said you wanted to do other things, and Kei wasn't just gonna let us go at it on his back. He has some dignity you know." This comment earned a glare, followed by a protesting squawk from the bird, and his feathers ruffled a bit. She didn't move or let up on her grip, still scared still from the instant plunge.

Seeing this, the hawk turned his head almost fully around and tilted it to the side. Then he cooed softly. "He apologizes for frightening you. Apparently the maneuver was directed at me." Akito said.

She finally opened her eyes and looked around, seeing they were in fact on the ground. "Why would that scare you." She grumbled, not really asking. She released him and got off the hawks back quickly. She walked towards the end of the dock and stopped, looking at the land that was scarred with war. She sighed, "We're back…"

Akito dismissed Kei and came up behind her. "Yeah. But Itachi was right when he said we would have to face our problems eventually, instead of running away and hiding. And, I've never been one for cowardice and…" he said, looking over at her. "I want to be able to tell people that I fought for you. Earned you. That way the world cannot question my love."

She looked back at him, smiling softly. "Thank you my love…and I know…but still…" she sighed and leaned against him, letting him wrap his arms around her. "I could have lived on that island forever."

"Me too. Perhaps someday, when this is all over, we can come back here. I liked the peace, and I'm sure my uncle will have missed us, though he won't admit it." He said, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Yeah," she whispered, but felt her face fall in a frown. Something told her that would never happen. She would never live on that island again with him and Itachi. "Let's go to the market and get some food. It'll take a while to get to Iwa." She said sadly, pulling away from him and taking his hand in hers, leading him towards the small market in the port.

* * *

Toshiro stepped off the boat, offering his hand down to Minako and helping her off. "Well that was some adventure. I've never been to an island before…that one was actually very nice." He said, looking down at her and then around the port. "Let's go find those two."

"No need. They are in the marketplace, just over there." She pointed, having already activated her byakugan to find them. Toshiro gave her a look, but let his irritated feeling wash away quickly. He already knew where they were, it had just been what he thought he should say. He walked off towards the market and spotted the two, packing a few things into their bags.

"You ready?" he asked with a bored tone.

Natsumi nodded, "Yeah, we were just getting some food for the journey."

"Good idea."

Akito put his pack on and looked at Minako. "What supplies do you have?"

"Two tents and sleeping pallets, four blankets, various eating utensils, healing ointment, and a map." She said, listing the various items stashed away in her summoning scroll. Otherwise her bag would be too heavy.

He nodded. "Let's go." He said, heading towards the forest path.

Natsumi followed him, looking as if she were deep in thought. "What do we need healing ointment for?" she asked. She simply did not understand why you would carry such a thing around.

"The Hyuuga Clan invented a special ointment that reduces pain drastically and speeds up the healing process of wounds. I never leave the village without it, and since I wasn't planning on meeting up with Toshiro, and my original mission was to kill you, I figured I might need it." Minako explained, following after them.

Akito looked back at her sharply. "You were ordered to kill Natsumi?"

She shrugged. "Yeah, your father told me to, and Tsunade-sama agreed it would be best, but that if I could avoid such a situation I should, since she didn't want to make things with Sand worse if it wasn't necessary. So I decided to avoid the situation." She said with a smile.

"You know, I just realized something." Natsumi tapped her chin, not really caring that Minako had been sent after her. She assumed Toshiro was sent to kill Akito as well, but there was no way this girl from Konoha could kill her even if she did give it her all. Which it didn't look like she would. She was too kind, just like Toshiro. "How come you guys' team doesn't have a medic?"

"I was actually just thinking the same thing." Toshiro said simply, glancing at the other team. "It seems odd that in a time of war a four man team wouldn't have a medic."

Akito shrugged. "Technically, Minako is the medic of our team. She has been schooled in basic first aid, and always has the ointment. But in reality? We never really needed one. Until our first fight with you guys, we'd never been injured bad enough to need any medical attention. Ours is the best team Konoha has."

Both Toshiro and Natsumi laughed together, really looking like brother and sister. Their laugh was the exact same. "Basic first aid?" Toshiro smirked, arching a brow.

"No wonder we were considered best in the country Toshiro." Natsumi smiled, leaning on her brother. "Since we're all medics. Second only to our mother of course." She giggled, setting her hands on her hips. Toshiro nodded, a haughty smirk playing on his face.

Minako turned her head and looked out at the forest, hiding the shame that flashed through her eyes. She didn't know why, but suddenly they had made her feel completely useless without even trying to. Akito just ignored them. "Supposedly, Tsunade refused to take on another apprentice after your mother left the village. And Shizune had never wanted to take one on, so we were just left with who we have training and working at the hospital, and they aren't ninjas. So each team, if they don't have a medic, has someone at least skilled in patching things up enough so that the team can get home safely."

"Oh my love," Natsumi huffed, coming up behind Akito and wrapping her arms around his waist. "Don't get so huffy." She purred, running her fingers down his abs.

Toshiro just rolled his eyes, avoiding his gaze. If this was going to be going on the whole way there, he was going to put a stop to it real fast.

"There is a difference between huffiness and explaining how things in my village work." He replied, placing his hands over hers to show that he wasn't upset or anything. Minako frowned.

"If you two are going to keep this up at least make sure you don't slow us down. Some of us would like to go home in the near future." She said, crossing her arms.

Akito scoffed at his friend. "You're just cranky because you haven't been to Ichiraku in over two months." This caused the ebony haired girl to pout.

"So. You owe me Akito-kun. When we get back to Konoha, I am going to eat my weight in ramen, and you are going to pay for all of it."

He just rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

Natsumi couldn't help but tense. The fact that she had said 'when _we_ get back to Konoha' set her on edge. She wouldn't let this woman take Akito away from her. Her grip tightened on his shirt and she huffed, her defensive mode kicking in. "If you eat your weight in ramen you're going to get fat and slow." She snapped.

"Natsumi." Toshiro glared, giving her a silencing look.

"What? She will! Ramen is only healthy if you eat it sparingly." She huffed.

Minako just ignored the jab and smiled. "True, but not if you've inherited your father's monstrous metabolism so that it's nearly impossible to gain any weight from food. Besides, I train regularly, so I don't worry about it."

Natsumi rolled her eyes and released Akito. "You're right Minako. What do I know, I'm only a doctor. A woman's metabolism is completely different than a man's. No matter how fast your body can convert eventually that food is going to catch up. But no, no you're right, you totally know more about the human body than I do." She continued ahead, a bit agitated. Toshiro just sighed and followed after his sister.

Minako rolled her eyes. What was with this girl anyways? Could she not take a joke? It wasn't as if she ate ramen all the time like her father did. She ate healthily and took care of her body. But she wouldn't continue to argue the matter, because it wasn't worth discussing. She just couldn't understand why Akito was with her. At all.

They traveled for the rest of the day, and eventually made camp a little ways off the path, so as not to be detected. Once the tents were set up and dinner made, everyone sat around the fire and ate in silence. Mostly because they didn't really know what to say to each other.

"So…" Toshiro began.

"How are we doing sleeping arrangements?" Natsumi asked, staring Minako and Toshiro down.

Minako shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. It is only proper that you and I tent together, and the same with Akito-kun and Toshiro, but I figure you don't like that idea, so that just brings us back to square one.

The sand princess rolled her eyes, it was _proper_ for her to sleep with her husband, like she had been for the past two months. Toshiro cleared his throat and glared at the two. "Well there's no way in hell I would allow you to sleep with my sister."

Akito glared right back. "Why not? We've been sleeping together ever since we left, so I don't see a problem with it." He said, crossing his arms.

Toshiro got up and jumped over the fire, slamming his fist into the ground where Akito had been only moments before. He looked up, pulling his fist from the earth and meeting the Uchiha in a standoff. "Do _not_ speak like that about my sister. I don't care what you did, but it will not be happening while I am here."

"Toshiro!" Natsumi stood as well, stepping between the two since she noticed Akito move into an offensive position. "Will you both stop!"

Akito crossed his arms, but kept his sharingan activated. "If you don't want it to happen while you're here then leave. Nobody will miss you."

Minako stood from her seat and glared at him. "Akito-kun don't be so rude!" She scolded. "You are being selfish. Did you not stop and think that maybe we don't want to be here either? But neither of us are allowed to go back to our homes unless we bring one of you with us. I can't speak for Toshiro, but I have gone through hell trying to find you guys, and I'm going out of my way to travel to Iwa and check on Satomi-chan, just to make Natsumi-chan happy, and you happy as well. When we could just go straight to Konoha, since we'll be going through the Land of Fire just to reach our destination." She said, crossing her arms.

Akito just stared at her in shock. Minako was defending that stupid redhead over him, her childhood friend? She had always supported him, even when she didn't agree with what he was doing, so this just baffled him. Natsumi shifted her glare to Minako and stomped up to her. "You must be delusional to think that I would allow you to take Akito back to Konoha. You can have him when you pry him from my cold, dead, lifeless hands." She snapped. Her sand was swirling dangerously around the ebony haired girl.

Minako stood her ground, her glare now on Natsumi. She didn't care if this woman could and possibly would kill her. She refused to show fear or weakness. Natsumi needed to learn self-restraint. She would be easily controllable through her temper and pride. "I do not believe I was talking to you, nor did I ask for your opinion." She said evenly. Akito decided to interject before anything more could happen.

"Natsumi, don't." he said, knowing his bride was slowly losing it. "If we're going to be travelling together then we need to try and get along."

Toshiro nodded, actually agreeing with the Uchiha. "Yes, so Natsumi please calm down." He said simply, actually invoking a small smirk on Minako's face. "And Minako," the red head sighed. "Stop antagonizing my sister. Unless you like living." He said simply, wiping the grin right off her face, and disappearing into one of the tents. He was tired of dealing with the chaotic clashes from both women.

Akito deactivated his sharingan and walked up to Natsumi. "Just share with Minako. Once this is over with we can go back to the way things were. But until then, try and play nice?" he asked, rubbing up and down her arms.

"But Akito…" she whined, leaning closer to him, dreading the thought of spending the night away from him and in a confined space with that irritating Konoha kunoichi. "If you leave me alone with her I might go crazy."

"Think of it as a challenge you must overcome. And who knows? Maybe you two will become friends." He said, kissing her on the forehead. He stepped away from her and walked towards the tent he was sharing with Toshiro. "Minako, take first watch." He ordered before disappearing behind the flap. She just sighed and looked at her new tent-mate. She felt kind of bad for being so rude earlier, when in reality it was Akito she was upset with.

"I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean it." She said.

"Whatever." She looked off, "Look…" Natsumi sighed, glancing back at the girl. "You seem tired. Probably because you've been searching…anyways you get some sleep. I don't need it anyway so I'll take watch." Minako really did look tired and so did Toshiro. She couldn't imagine searching for two months without being able to go home. If Akito and her hadn't found Itachi, she didn't know what would have happened to them.

Minako smiled and nodded. "If you are sure, then thank you." She said, walking towards their tent.

Natsumi sat back down around the fire and looked up at the sky, starting to count the stars. She just couldn't believe Satomi was getting married and to an Iwa ninja. Not to mention she actually agreed to an arranged marriage. She sighed and laid back, crossing her leg over the other. They needed to get to Iwa and soon.

* * *

Toshiro sat on his pallet, staring at the dark haired Uchiha he was sharing a tent with. "You've had sex with my sister haven't you." He stated, frowning.

"Yeah, what of it?" Akito asked, his brow furrowed. The question had come out of nowhere after all.

His answer only made the red head look more irritated. "You…" he stopped, his hands forming into fists. "You really love her right?"

Akito's confusion left his face and he became completely serious. "I would die for her." Was all he said in reply.

"And you will make her happy?"

"To the best of my ability. If I can no longer make her happy then I am no longer worthy of her." He said.

There was a silence between the two then. "You make her smile…like she did when she was little…" Toshiro trailed off. "She's my little sister…and she won't let me protect her anymore…so…man to man…" he stopped. This was obviously difficult for him, because it showed even a small weakness. "I know you will protect her. And make her happy…and as long as you can do that…I will support you…no matter what."

Akito nodded. "I appreciate that. And I promise that I will protect her and make her happy until the day I die." He took off his shoes then and got into his pallet. Then he sighed. "I won't lie though, I really kind of hate your other sister. No offense."

Toshiro laughed, doing the same and then laid down. "That's because you don't understand her. Something very important you need to know about my sisters is that they are like Yin and Yang. See…" he paused and looked over at Akito. "The way Natsumi is on the outside is how Satomi is on the inside. And how Satomi is on the outside is how Natsumi is on the inside. If that makes sense."

He nodded and laid down placing his hand under his head as he stared at the ceiling of the tent. "I do. But I still don't like her very much."

"Then you don't like Natsumi as much as you say you do." The redhead snickered, turning on his side, with his back to Akito.

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever, I don't have to explain myself to you. Maybe if she smiled more I'd like her. You know, even a tiny one. Even I don't frown that much, and I hate just about everything." He said, shutting his eyes.

Toshiro smiled. He couldn't remember the last time Satomi smiled, but he could remember the smile itself. "She has a really pretty smile." He said, mostly to himself, but he knew Akito could hear him. "My dad says that when both my sister's smile, it's the most beautiful thing in the world. Maybe you'll get lucky and actually see it."

"Maybe."


	31. Iwa

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Thirty-One_

-Iwa-

"Wow!" Natsumi marveled. She had never actually seen Iwa before and it was enormous. Toshiro just watched her look around at the large walls. They weren't even in the village yet and she was going crazy. He closed his eyes and sighed, this was going to be a long walk through the village. Not to mention they would have to find Satomi in this maze of stone.

Minako had a similar expression of awe on her face as she looked around the village. It was much different than her own, and actually one of the first hidden villages she had ever been to. Akito scanned the village and looked at Toshiro. "Do you think she would be at the Kage tower? Or elsewhere? It's best if we keep this search for Satomi as short as possible, since Natsumi and I are still wanted criminals."

"Hm." He glanced around. "Well, she doesn't have sand so I'll have to leave it up to Natsumi to find her." He crossed his arms over his chest and sighed. He watched Minako and Natsumi move from stall to stall as they entered the village. They were amazed by every little thing. "At least they're getting along." He said, gesturing to the two women.

"Yeah," Akito sighed, crossing his arms as well.

Natsumi stopped and went wide eyed, walking back to the two. "Oh my god." She gasped.

"What?" the two men asked together.

"I totally forgot…" she said, looking worried. "Last time I saw Satomi she wanted to kill me! And ordered my troops to annihilate me!" she laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of her head. "Guess that must have slipped my mind, I hope she still isn't mad about that whole betrayal thing."

Minako smiled at her new friend. "I'm sure she isn't. And if she is, we're still here for you Natsumi-chan." She said, placing her hand on the other woman's shoulder. "Maybe she will be too overcome with happiness at seeing you she will forget about her anger." She suggested, trying to look on the bright side of things. Akito gave her a doubtful look. The other pink haired woman didn't come across as someone who forgave easily, especially when it concerned Natsumi.

"Yeah…I don't know about overcome with happiness…but I'm sure she'll be surprised." Toshiro said, laughing awkwardly. He obviously thought the worst would happen.

Natsumi sighed and glanced back at the village. "Well come on, there's only one way to find out. And that's taking this head on!" she started forward already feeling her sister. Toshiro followed closely after her, just in case any of these Iwa Nin recognized her and decided to attack. Minako and Akito followed, Akito catching up to Natsumi so that when they met with her sister he could protect her should she need it.

"How close is she?" he asked, feeling his body becoming tenser the deeper into the village they got. Being in foreign, enemy territory was putting him on edge.

"She's really close." She said, they had walked into a more sophisticated part of the village, filled with nice restaurants and shops. Natsumi stopped and went wide eyed at the sight. Toshiro followed her gaze and mirrored his youngest sister's face. There sitting outside a bistro was Satomi. But she looked completely different. Her long pink hair was down and not held back in its usual braid. Her bangs framed her face beautifully and her hair fell around her in waves. She was with a blond man, whose back was to them, and she actually had a small hint of a smile on her face. She was dressed in her normal ninja attire, her black capris and her red, sleeveless, shirt that zipped up in the front.

"She's kind of smiling…" Akito trailed off in disbelief.

Satomi's pale jade gaze shifted a bit and the half smile fell right off her face, replaced with surprise. "Toshiro?" she blinked, standing up from the table.

The blonde man she was with turned around in his seat and a look of utter shock came to his face as he saw Akito and Natsumi, their own faces mirroring his expression.

"You!" both Akito and Natsumi yelled, pointing at the man. The blonde stood up, taking the space next to Satomi.

"Well, if it isn't the traitors. How have you two been since the last time you tried to kill me?" he smiled, crossing his arms, looking care free. Satomi just looked from Toshiro to the pink haired woman next to him. Her gaze turned into a hateful glare.

"What the hell are you doing here. I thought you ran away with that Uchiha scum."

Natsumi huffed, setting her hands on her hips. "He's not scum Satomi and what do you mean what am I doing here? What are _you_ doing here? Are you out of your mind? An arranged marriage? And to that freak!" she pointed at Kyo once more.

Toshiro just scrunched his brow in confusion. "You guys have met before?"

Akito frowned and looked at the redhead. "Yeah around when Natsumi and I first started our…relationship." Then his gaze returned to Kyo. "I should kill you for snitching to the Hokage about Natsumi. You're just lucky I can think on my feet and am a good liar." He said.

The blonde just shrugged. "Whatever. I had to tell somebody, just to see if they'd believe me. Besides, I thought it was kind of funny." He said, smiling. "And you were wrong by the way. I think Satomi is pretty, even prettier than her sister." He told them, wrapping an arm around the woman's shoulders.

She stepped forward, making his hand fall off her shoulder as her glare grew even icier. "How _dare_ you come here. You ungrateful bitch!" she yelled, pointing at Natsumi. The younger twin went wide eyed and stormed up to her sister.

"Excuse me? And first of all," she shoved Satomi to the side and glared at Kyo. "Are you out for your mind? I'm _way_ more beautiful than Satomi!" she yelled. Satomi growled, closing her eyes and trying to calm down.

"Oh no," Toshiro whispered.

The elder twin formed a fist and pulled it back slamming her chakra filled punch into Natsumi's stomach. "AAAAAAAAAH!" she shouted, and then Natsumi flew back slamming right into a building. There was a huge crash as she went through it, creating a gaping hole in the stone. Satomi was breathing harshly, staring forward, her only focus on the clearing dust.

Absolutely everyone in the area was wide eyed, even Kyo. Minako stepped back so that she was between Toshiro and Akito, not wanting to be in the way. And she had a feeling things were only going to get worse.

"Natsumi!" Akito yelled, his sharingan activated so that he could see better. But before he could go to her, her silhouette appeared in the dust, part of which was her sand swarming around her angrily.

Natsumi stepped out of the hole in the building, blood dripping down the whole right side of her face. Satomi smirked, not lowering her guard. "Aw did I break you're pretty little face Natsumi?"

The sand around Natsumi swirled angrily as she reached up and snapped her jaw back into place, her hands glowing a light green as she healed her body. Once she was perfectly healed she wiped as much blood as she could off with her hand. "I'm going to fucking kill you." She seethed. She looked completely different, her face was dead, almost mirroring Satomi's natural expression.

"Bring it, baby sister." Satomi taunted, her smirk only growing. Natsumi glared and then disappeared, moving faster than the eye could see until she stopped in front of Satomi, swinging her leg right for her face. She barely dodged, not because she was faster, but she knew her sister and she could predict her moves, especially in this state. That was until she picked up the pace and one of her kicks connected with the side of Satomi's head, sending her off. Not as far as she had sent Natsumi, but she hit the ground with a painful smack and felt her shoulder dislocate.

Her gleeful look disappeared as she stood and began healing her arm as she snapped it back into its socket. "You are so predictable Natsumi. I can't believe you! How dare you show your face to me when you threw our village away! And now you're even trying to get all the attention. You are the biggest brat on the entire planet!"

"Shut up Satomi! You ordered our army to kill me! You have nothing but my disdain! You're always so moody and pissed off! No wonder no one likes you! You're the most miserable person to be around!" Natsumi screamed, getting some of her emotions back.

Satomi just started to laugh, "God! You amaze me Natsumi. You really do! You think you are this beautiful soul but you're not! I wonder what the Uchiha will think once he sees the real you. You hide yourself with this bubbly personality and how kind you are but you are a terrible person! Just because I don't pretend to be this care free, life loving brat doesn't mean I don't have happiness! You try and try to hide how disgusted with yourself you are! You are sordid!" they both looked enraged, until a sadistic smirk came to Satomi's face. "I wonder…how he would react if he knew you annihilated an entire village…just because their leader insulted you."

Toshiro went wide eyed, "What?"

Natsumi went red with rage. "YOU SWORE YOU WOULD NEVER SPEAK OF THAT!" she screamed, her eyes filling with tears. But she didn't look sad, she looked even more demonic.

"That's right Toshiro." Satomi said darkly, "Natsumi and I were sent on a recon mission…and their leader just wouldn't shut up about how pathetic Natsumi looked. How she was so frail and couldn't do a thing. So she proved it to him, by murdering an entire village. All the women…all the children…all those innocent people…and finally the leader."

"SHUT UP!" Natsumi screeched, rushing at her sister. There was only a fury of sand that swarmed around trying to get a hold on the elder twin. Satomi evaded and dodged around, punching through the grains when they hardened.

Akito just stood there, stunned from the news he had just heard. An entire village? Even innocents? He had never gone so far, only killing his targets and any enemy that posed as a threat. Through this battle he was seeing another side of Natsumi, one he didn't think existed. But, he still loved her, no matter what. He swore on their wedding day that he would stay with her for better or for worse, so this was only a small bump in their marriage. He wasn't angry, just a little hurt that she had never told him, when she knew all of his deepest secrets. Minako and Kyo just stood frozen in place and watched. Her body frozen in shock, and his carefree attitude replaced with a mixture of shock and concern for Satomi. And partially for his village that they were destroying.

Satomi punched through her sister's sand wall. Grabbing Natsumi around the throat and slamming her into another building, causing a huge crack to crawl up the wall. She squeezed tighter, making Natsumi choke, trying to get in some air. "Make me brat. You were supposed to stay in Suna with me and Toshiro. You're so selfish Natsumi. You think that you're so damn special. You think mom and dad are proud of you? You're body count is in the triple digits, you are _only _useful for destruction. You're unstable and unpredictable. Why do you think I was asked to do this. Because you know _nothing_ of sacrifice. Everything you do is for yourself. And you know what? I still tried to save you. I took those plans you stole from Konoha and I gave them to dad. But what did you go and do? You got yourself shot with lightning because you wouldn't just kill the Uchiha!"

Natsumi went wide eyed, her vision blurring from her wrath. Her hands turned a dark green and she latched onto Satomi's wrist making her scream out in pain. She stumbled back, healing her wrists the best she could. "It was you?" Natsumi screeched, running forward, both her hands leaking her deadly chakra. She aimed for Satomi's vitals, desperately trying to connect. Satomi's hands began to glow blue and the battle of medical jutsu began. Neither could seem to get in a hit. "How could you do that Satomi? I almost died! Akito thought I betrayed him! I love him! Why can't you just see that!"

Minako activated her byakugan to better see the twins' chakra flow as they were fighting. It made her sad to watch, since it was obvious that each sister was going for the kill. By now Kyo had made his way over to the frozen group of ninjas, not wanting to be a lonely spectator. "I haven't known Satomi for long, but…are they usually like this? Because I just didn't get that impression." He asked.

Toshiro frowned. "No. I mean…they've had spats before…but this…" he glanced at the blonde and then back at his sisters who were slowly destroying each other.

Natsumi's hands slammed into Satomi's palms, which closed around hers, cracking her bones under the pressure. But at the same time, Satomi's muscle was beginning to dissolve. "I hate you." Satomi spat out.

"I hate you!" Natsumi yelled back, ripping her hands from her sister's. They both began to heal their hands, the light green color quickly turning back to blue and dark green. They both took off one more time and everyone could tell this would be the last blow, whoever landed it would win. Satomi brought her fast back as Natsumi did the same with her open palm. They thrust forward and suddenly a swirl of sand erupted between the two. Toshiro pushed both their hands off trajectory, grabbing their wrists and spinning around. He threw Natsumi off and Satomi was slammed against a wall, pinned with Toshiro's sand. Natsumi hit another building and slid down, unconscious. Toshiro looked back and forth between the two, finally letting the red chakra like aura around his hands fade.

Minako watched the whole thing in awe of the redhead. She knew he was a skilled fighter, but this was on another level. Her gentle fist would never be able to work against that jutsu. At Akito and Kyo's confused looks, she decided to explain. "Toshiro's jutsu cancelled out Natsumi-chan's harmful one and Satomi-chan's strength. It completely stopped their chakra flow, making their attacks ineffective."

"Cool." Kyo said. Akito just deactivated his sharingan and went over to Natsumi's unconscious form and held her in his arms.

"Honey?" he asked, softly stroking her cheek.

Toshiro's sand slid down and dropped the now unconscious Satomi. He had constricted it just enough to cut off her air supply. The redhead caught her and carried her over his shoulder over to Akito. When Natsumi didn't respond he sighed. "Sorry, I threw her a bit harder than I intended."

He sighed and stood, holding her bridal style. "As long as she wakes up later it's fine."

Kyo came over and stopped when he was next to Toshiro. "I'll take her." He said, motioning towards Satomi with his head. "We can just go to my place in order to get off the street."

The redhead looked skeptical about handing his sister over to someone he just met, but this was the man she was going to marry. He sighed and pulled her down, placing her in Kyo's arms. "I'm sure they'll both wake up soon."

The blonde smiled. "Probably. My Satomi is a tough one." He turned then and paused when he saw Minako. "And, who are you?" he asked, raising a brow.

"Uzumaki Minako. I'm one of Akito-kun's teammates." The ebony haired woman explained. Kyo just nodded.

"I'm Kyo. So, how long have you and Toshiro been dating?" he asked, genuinely curious. Minako's face slowly began to turn red as she looked from Kyo to Toshiro, and then back.

"We're not." She said softly. He blinked in surprise.

"Oh. Huh." And then continued to walk down the street in the direction of his home. Akito followed him, along with Minako and Toshiro.

"Why does everyone think we're dating?" Toshiro asked, a bit offended. It wasn't like Minako wasn't pretty, she was very beautiful. But he wished people would stop assuming things that were untrue. Especially since he had only just gotten to know her.

"I'm…not sure exactly." She replied, face still pink.

The group made their way down a few more streets until they came upon a large stone house that was situated on a small plateau. Kyo opened the door and led them into his living room, where he just happened to have two couches. He laid Satomi down gently and then straightened, clapping his hands together. "So, can I get you guys anything?" he asked, looking at the group.

Akito just placed Natsumi on the other couch and shook his head, sitting next to her so that he could watch over her and make sure she was okay. Minako smiled at him. She didn't know what Akito and Natsumi's problem with him was, he seemed perfectly nice to her. "No thank you." She said politely, going over and sitting in one of the chairs. Kyo looked over at Toshiro then, his question still present in his hazel eyes.

"No…I'm fine." He walked over to Satomi and traced his hand over her forehead, his hand glowing a light green. He scanned the rest of her body, healing what needed to be healed and then went over to Natsumi doing the same thing. "There, all better. They should wake up pretty soon now, I just hope they got what they needed out of their systems."

"Me too. But I think they needed it." Kyo said, his gaze on Satomi's unconscious face. She looked so peaceful and he just thought she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen, and was thankful she had agreed to the arranged marriage. He headed for the stairs then. "Come on." He said, motioning for everyone to follow him. "I'll show you guys where you can stay since I'm assuming you're not going to leave."

Minako rose from her seat and picked up her discarded pack, following him wordlessly. Finally, a real bed with a real bathroom and a shower. She hadn't experienced those luxuries in weeks. Akito looked down at Natsumi to make sure she was okay, and once he was assured, followed as well.

After the group had left, the two twins laid motionless, fast asleep. Finally, Natsumi cracked her eyes open and looked around. She didn't recognize this place, or even why she was asleep. She would never fall asleep somewhere she didn't know. That's when she felt how sore her body was and groaned when she tried to move. She glanced over, seeing another couch and then its inhabitant. She frowned when she locked gazes with her sister. They stared at each other for a long time until finally Satomi spoke. "I'm sorry I tried to kill you."

"I'm sorry I tried to kill you too," Natsumi said, they both sighed then, laying their heads back and staring at the ceiling. "So…you're getting married."

"Yup."

"He seems…nice."

"He is."

"Do you like him?"

"I dunno, I guess. He's cute." The elder twin shrugged and breathed once more. "So…you've been with the Uchiha for the past two months?"

"Yup."

"Where did you go?"

"To some island in Sea Country named Kika."

"You got on a boat?"

"I know right."

"Impressive."

Natsumi laughed, "Not really. I was sea sick the whole time and I threw up like twenty three times."

"That's not good. You know that wears on your throat. Did you heal it?"

"Yeah, it stung a bit so I just fixed myself while no one was looking, since we were supposed to be in hiding."

The both fell silent again. Satomi looked over at her sister and frowned. "Natsumi…I'm sorry I gave dad those plans. I didn't mean for you to get hurt…I'm just sorry."

Natsumi smiled softly, "Its ok. I'm sorry too Satomi…for leaving you without even telling you anything…I didn't want to lie to you. I'm sorry for being so difficult."

"I forgive you. It's not your fault you're so messed up." Satomi actually laughed and let herself smile. Their expressions mirrored one another perfectly.

"I love you Satomi."

"I love you too Natsumi."

The sound of people coming down the stairs could be heard then, and Kyo entered the living room. Seeing the two awake, he smiled happily. "You're awake!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms up in the air and walking straight over to Satomi. He gently took her hands in his. "Do you need me to get you anything?" he asked in concern.

She blinked, her smile falling off her face. She stared up at him, not looking angry, but confused. "Um no…I'm fine thank you."

"Oh uh, okay." He said, feeling somewhat awkward. He pat her hands and set them down just as Akito entered the room. His forest green eyes locked on Natsumi, and he went to her, kneeling down so that they were eyelevel. He brought up a hand and brushed some of her bangs out of her eyes.

"Are you alright dear?" he asked, not caring if the endearment seemed suspicious to anybody. He had been married to her for almost a month now anyways, and wasn't going to change the way he spoke to her just to keep it a secret. He actually liked talking to her that way, it made him happy.

She nodded and sat up, Satomi did as well. "I'm fine." She said softly, unable to meet his gaze. The things that had been said during her sister and hers fight came rushing back. Why was he being so nice to her? She assumed he would be disgusted with her after finding out what she had done.

Satomi looked over at Akito and her sister. The way they acted was odd, even how Akito spoke to her. She didn't remember him being so tender when he spoke to Natsumi. She glanced at Kyo and hesitantly placed her hand over his. This was going to be her husband soon and he was just trying to be kind. It wasn't his fault she didn't know how to react to his gestures. "Thank you, for checking on me."

He smiled at her and blushed slightly, scratching the back of his head with his free hand in slight embarrassment. "It's no big deal. You're my woman now, and I was worried." Then his expression changed to an excited one. "But oh my God you were so awesome!" he exclaimed, placing his hand over hers in his excitement. "I mean, I knew you were good, but man, that was just cool. I am the luckiest guy in the world to get such a beautiful and tough woman." He told her, shaking his head in disbelief at his fortune.

She stared at him a bit wide eyed. It most certainly was not the reaction she was expecting. "Thank…you?" a small smile tugged at her lips. She knew she was skilled but it was different hearing it from someone else. Besides her sister was the combat expert and it was usually her that was marveled at. Natsumi watched the interaction carefully and felt something tug at her heart. Satomi actually looked like she could be happy. This man was showering her with all the attention she ever wanted and it appeared to be freaking her out a bit.

Toshiro sighed with relief, it seemed that things were smoothed over. "Well…it's been a long day, I will start dinner. Minako," he looked to the woman beside him. "Would you like to help?"

She smiled over at him. "Of course." She said, following him into the kitchen. Akito gently grasped Natsumi's chin and turned her head so that she was facing him. He didn't like that she wouldn't look him in the eyes.

"We need to talk." He said softly, running his thumb along her jaw.

She met his forest green gaze for only a second before trying to look off again. She couldn't look at him and his words made her stomach drop. This was it. He was going to tell her he couldn't be married to such a psychotic murderer. She got up and walked towards the sliding glass doors that led to a balcony, since the house was situated on one of the many large rock formations in the village. When she was outside Akito sighed and got up about to join her. Satomi stood quickly and grabbed Akito's wrist halting his movement. He glanced back at her, seeing the sadness in her eyes that her face refused to portray. "It's not you…" she wanted to make sure he knew that Natsumi's demeanor had nothing to do with anything he had done.

He nodded. "I know." Satomi let go of his wrist then, and he followed Natsumi outside, shutting the door behind him. He stopped once he was behind her, not sure if she would welcome his touch, and waited for her to begin.

"Well go on," she said sadly, leaning forward and resting her elbows on the railing. "Say it already."

He gave her a look of confusion, even though she couldn't see his face. "Say what? That I want to hear your side of the story instead of Satomi's angry remarks? Because that's all I can think of." He said.

She sighed, resting her chin in one of her palms. "What's there to tell? I was sent on a recon mission with Satomi to a ninja village in Claw country and I annihilated it until there wasn't a single person alive. They don't even place the village on maps anymore."

He walked up behind her and placed his hands on her upper arms. "I do not judge you or think differently of you Natsumi. Till death do us part, remember? I didn't stop loving you when you tried to commit suicide, nor when I thought you betrayed me. And I'm not going to stop loving you now. I just wish I had found out from you instead of your sister while you two were trying to kill each other." He said, rubbing her arms in order to comfort her.

She glanced back at him, quickly looking forward once more. "It's not exactly something I like to remember. Besides…it's not like you asked me what the worst thing I had ever done was. You haven't even asked me how many people I've killed. So I just…didn't say anything."

He nodded, understanding what she meant. "I've killed five hundred and eighty seven people since becoming a shinobi, and I can recite what they each looked like and how I did it." He told her, resting his chin on her shoulder. "The worst thing I ever did was torture, maim, and kill a man's entire family for hurting Minako. They were all ninjas, so I thought nothing of it, but their son was only a genin, fresh from the Academy. It was shortly after our team formed, and I'd never seen someone close to me get hurt before…so I snapped."

"That's different." She frowned. "It would make sense if I did what I did for Satomi…but it wasn't. I did it because I wanted to prove to that man, just how lethal I could be."

"But that knowledge doesn't change my feelings. I love you, all of you, even your psychotic parts." He said, turning his head so that he could see her face.

She let her eyes close and took in a deep breath. "You didn't love me when I tried to kill Minako. I killed many people from your village, on assassination missions."

"I did love you when you tried to kill Minako, I just didn't realize it until it was brought up when you were in that cell." He admitted.

She turned around finally and looked up at him, nothing but sadness showing on her face. "Akito…there are many things I have done that are much worse. I don't want to tell you, because I don't want to remember them…I'm afraid there will be something that will finally make you realize how unworthy of you I am."

He smiled at her tenderly and ran his thumb across her lips and along her jaw. "Then don't tell me. But love is unconditional, you said so yourself. And if anything you did in the past causes me to stop loving you, then it is I who is unworthy, not you."

Her lower lip quivered as tears began to fill her eyes. "I…" she stopped, absolutely speechless. She couldn't comprehend this. She didn't understand how he could love such a terrible monster.

He wiped away a tear that had escaped from her eye and kissed her softly. "I love you, Uchiha Natsumi. Nothing could make you any less perfect in my eyes." Her heart skipped a beat, the butterflies returning to her stomach. Her new name on his lips sounded so beautiful and reassuring. She leaned against him, pressing her face into the crook of his neck. He began to run his fingers through her hair, still wanting to comfort her.

After a while of just standing in their embrace Akito sighed. "Toshiro and Minako are probably almost done with dinner. Are you hungry?"

"I suppose." She smiled up at him, seeming to gain back her inner light. "But I'm more curious as to if I'm going to get to sleep with my husband tonight." She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist.

He smiled at her. "Kyo assured me that he valued his life and just put your things in my room when Toshiro wasn't looking. I guess he's more scared of us than them. So all we have to do is fool your siblings and we're good to go."

"No…just Toshiro and Minako. My sister is under no illusion that we have not slept together." She smirked, leaning into him and pressing her front against his chest. "It's been so long my love, my body craves the attention you used to ravish it with." She whined, smoothing her hands up his chest. She gripped onto his black shirt, tugging it up a bit.

His smile turned into a smirk. "Actually, Toshiro knows we've had sex before. So I guess it's just Minako we have to fool." He said, gripping her butt and pulling her against him.

"Darling, just because he knew doesn't mean he will allow it. After all, he hasn't let us sleep together the whole way here." She pointed out, grinding her hips against his and biting back a low moan.

"Ahem."

Natsumi peeked over Akito's shoulder as the Uchiha glanced back only to see the red head. "Dinner's ready." He said sharply, crossing his arms tightly over his chest.

Akito just smirked, not loosening his hold on Natsumi's rear. "Great, we'll be there in a minute."

"No…I think you'll be there now." He said not moving.

Natsumi rolled her eyes and cupped her husband's face, pressing her lips against his in a passionate kiss. She pressed against him, pulling away after a heated minute, and then walked past him. She strolled right past Toshiro and went inside. The red head's gaze only fell on her for a moment before returning to the Uchiha.

Akito shrugged and decided not to say anything, since whatever he did say would only upset Toshiro further. Then he followed her into the house, his stomach informing him that it was hungry.

The red head just sighed and turned around following the two in. Something told him, things were only going to get crazier. He just hoped his sanity would last.


	32. Let the bonds Begin!

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Thirty-Two_

-Let the bonds Begin!-

"Everyone!" Natsumi yelled as she came down the steps, two at a time. "Everyone. I have something important I need to say!" she finally stopped at the bottom of the steps. Kyo and Toshiro were sitting on the large couch in the living room, each reading their own book. Minako and Akito were sitting on the floor, playing a game of chess that was set up on the low coffee table.

Satomi walked in from the kitchen then, looking at her sister with a bored expression. She still had her hair down, since in Iwa there wasn't as much wind and it was much colder than Suna, seeing at it was near the mountains. "What is it Natsumi?"

"I need to go shopping."

Akito held in a sigh. He knew this was coming. She always had to shop when they went to new places. And it was for things she didn't need. But he had long ago learned his lesson in that area, so didn't say anything. "Shopping sounds like a good idea." Minako said.

"I think it sounds like a bad idea." Kyo mumbled, not even bothering to look up from his book.

Satomi walked all the way into the living room and looked to her fiancé. "But Kyo, I have to shop as well. What better time than now?"

He looked up then, and instantly changed his mind. He was such a sucker for her. "I suppose we can go…" he said.

"Why can't you just go by yourselves?" Toshiro asked, finally resting his book in his lap. He really did not want to follow three girls around as they aimlessly shopped.

"Because," Natsumi huffed, placing her hands on her hips. "What if some nasty man comes and tries to touch us inappropriately?"

The red head rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you would kill him."

"Well what if someone tried to put the moves on Minako? Hm?" she leaned forward smugly, getting an odd reaction from her brother. She had heard the story from Minako on their way to Iwa. Even she found it suspicious her brother had reacted in such a hostile manner.

"Hm." Was his only response as he set the book down and crossed his arms.

"You don't have to go Toshiro. I'm sure Kyo and I could look after Minako when we aren't distracted by Natsumi and Satomi." Akito said, hiding his smirk. If he had to suffer shopping with the women and that stupid blonde, then he wasn't going to suffer alone.

Minako frowned and crossed her arms in a slight pout. "I can take care of myself you know." She said.

"Alright. If you insist." Toshiro shrugged, picking his book back up and continuing to read.

Akito would be damned if his plan failed. So he smirked at Minako. "Take care of yourself like you did when we were in Mist and you got kidnapped?" he asked, raising a brow. Minako glared at him.

"That was one time!" she said. He scoffed.

"Please. You almost got kidnapped when we went to Bird Country, people were sent to kidnap you when we went to Rain, do I need to continue? Because I can." he asked, counting every incident out on his fingers.

"Wow…" Natsumi blinked. "You get kidnapped a lot Minako." She laughed, walking over to the couch and hovering over Kyo. "Hey you're paying for everything right?" she asked.

Toshiro just sighed, turning the page in his book. He wished they would just leave already. Kyo smiled nicely at her. "If you don't have the necessary funds to buy your own meaningless things, then sure. After all, we're going to be family."

Akito rolled his eyes and stood. "Let's just go. Come on Toshiro, that stupid book will be here when we get back." He said, as everyone made their way to the door.

"What? But-" Toshiro began. Natsumi just grabbed his wrist and pulled him up, dragging him out the door. "Come one Toshi, I'm sure you'll have a blast!" she smiled brightly. Satomi snickered deviously as she followed them out.

"Yeah Toshi. A blast."

* * *

"Oh wow!" Natsumi exclaimed, running up to one of the shop windows. "Minako that would look so pretty on you!" she pointed inside at the display wearing a beautiful pale purple sun dress.

Minako looked at the dress through the window. It _was_ really pretty. "You think so Natsumi-chan?" she asked.

Satomi peered inside as well and studied the dress. "That would look quite nice on you. The color suits your skin tone and the color of your hair."

Toshiro just rolled his eyes, crossing his arms, they had been shopping for nearly two hours now and they arms were already filled with shopping bags. "Okay, I'll go try it on." She said, entering the store. Natsumi and Satomi followed, so that they could give her their opinion. Akito just sighed.

"If Natsumi finds one more thing in there for me to carry, I swear my arms are going to fall off." He complained.

Kyo's smile was a slightly pained one. "At least we're making them happy." He said, trying to be optimistic.

Toshiro just went in, followed by the other two. "See Kyo, you are still in the hype of it all. If there's one thing that Natsumi and Satomi have in common…it's their love of shopping." He stopped then going a bit wide eyed when Minako came out with the dress on. It was simple, with a dark purple ribbon tying around her midsection. It cut straight across and was tight, but fell loosely around her hips. It stopped just at her knees and it looked absolutely perfect. "Wow…" he said breathlessly, quickly recovering from his stupor. "I mean…it looks nice." He looked away then, a bit embarrassed.

She smiled shyly. "I think I'm going to get it." She said, going back into the dressing room to put her clothes back on. Akito looked over at the redhead.

"You know you're going to have to carry the bag right? Since you convinced her to get it." Minako hadn't really bought a whole bunch on their shopping trip, not wanting to impose on Kyo's kindness. Plus, she was frugal by nature, even though her family had plenty of money. This dress was actually the first big item she had gotten. Other than that it had just been a clip with a beautiful flower design in silver wire and purple stones that oddly enough matched the dress, and a few cartons of instant ramen she had found at a street vendor.

"That's fine. I'm already holding her other things. Besides," he smirked looking over at the other two's full hands. "I think I can manage."

Natsumi dragged Minako to the front and bought the dress with Kyo's money. "This is so pretty Minako. You're going to look awesome when you wear it!" she took the bag from the man and shoved it into Toshiro's arms. "Come on! I saw this place and I want to go check something's out!" she grabbed Minako's wrist and dragged her out. Satomi followed quickly, leaving the boys to follow hopelessly.

When they stopped, all three males went wide eyed. "I am definitely voting we go in here." Toshiro said.

"It's a…" Kyo began.

"Lingerie store." Akito finished.

Satomi tapped her chin, "I've always wanted to see what they actually sell in these places."

Akito was the first to snap out of his trance. Moving a few bags over to one arm, he grabbed Natsumi's hand and dragged her into the store. "Come on baby, let me help you look." He said, scanning the selections eagerly.

Toshiro came up behind Minako and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Minako, you should…definitely try some things on…I mean…after all you will wear something like this eventually right? Might as well explore now, since the opportunity has presented itself."

"Oh my god." Satomi rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. "You are such a pervert Toshiro."

"I'm not a pervert." The red head said simply, a small blush coming to his face. "I am a doctor and I can appreciate a fine human specimen when I see one. That is all." He huffed, leading Minako in.

"Every honest man is a pervert Satomi. Let's just follow the others." Kyo said, walking in ahead of her. He was still in awe of the things this place was revealing to him after all. She sighed and followed him, going a dark red when she saw the little outfits the place had to offer.

"I do not understand the purpose of this." She picked up one of the hangers and stared at the thin lacey material. "It covers nothing…"

Natsumi snickered, nudging her sister. "I think that's the point Satomi." The elder twin went an even darker red at the thought.

Kyo looked at what she was holding, a light pink dusting his smiling cheeks. "Satomi, I have decided that you can buy whatever you want from this store. I will even buy you one of everything. This place is great!" he said in excitement, walking off to explore the other tables.

Minako held up a thin, silky nightdress that looked like it would barely cover the essentials. "Are these things even comfortable?" she asked, a look of doubt crossing her features.

"Who cares. It's not like it would stay on long." Toshiro said, looking over her shoulder at her choice item. He blinked and shook his head, "I mean…usually that's the case isn't it?"

"Why are you acting so weird Toshiro?" Natsumi gave her brother an odd look, she glanced at Minako and then her slightly flustered brother. It couldn't be…could it? Akito just ignored everyone else and continued to pile things on Natsumi's arm that he wanted her to try on. With him in there of course. He was in the zone.

"Akito…" Natsumi said, but her voice was muffled. When he glanced back at her, he could no longer see anything but her legs and the monstrous pile in her arms. "I think that's enough for now." She laughed, trying to keep her balance so none of it fell over.

Kyo looked over at the two and sighed, crossing his arms, as he stopped next to Toshiro. "They have sex a lot…don't they?"

"Don't remind me." The red head grumbled.

"Oh, right." He said. Then he began to lead her to the dressing rooms. "We'll be a while." He said, smirking back at the group before they disappeared.

Minako walked over to Satomi. "Are you going to get anything?" she whispered, not wanting the other two to overhear their conversation. She was considering it, but wasn't as daring as Natsumi when it came to these things, and so was really embarrassed.

"I dunno," Satomi looked off. She looked over at Kyo and sighed. "I mean I should…shouldn't I? That's what wives do for their husbands, right?"

Minako shrugged. "I'm sure it would make him really happy, but don't do anything that would make you uncomfortable Satomi-chan. I'm sure Kyo wouldn't want that either. He seems too nice to be that kind of husband." She said.

Satomi shrugged. "Yeah…you're right." She picked up another little outfit and gave it a once over. "It's weird…having to get married. I mean…I like Kyo…he's nice and he always tells me how pretty I am. But…you know. He's just as much forced to get married as I am." She placed the hanger back on the rack and looked at Minako. She didn't know why she was even saying this. She usually never opened up to anyone.

The ebony haired girl placed her hand on the medic's shoulder. "Yes, but he seems to be happy with his decision. I'm sure, given enough time, you two will be really happy together. After all, when we first arrived, it looked like he had almost made you smile. I hear that's really hard to do." She said, smiling slightly.

"Well he has been trying," she smiled softly. This girl was so much different than her brother and sister. Minako's smile widened at the sight.

"You really do look very beautiful when you smile Satomi-chan. I just know things will turn out alright, and I honestly wish you the best happiness in your wedding." Then she looked down and saw a lacy looking negligee that matched her hair color, and picked it up. "I think, out of curiosity, I am going to go try this thing on." She said, scurrying over to the dressing rooms so that nobody would see her.

Satomi walked over towards the underwear section, browsing through what they offered. She had to admit, a lot of their sets were really cute. She wondered idly if she'd even have the courage to put something like this on for Kyo. After all, she'd only known him for a month. Things seemed to be looking positive, but it still felt…forced.

A few moments later Minako came out, a dark blush on her face. She walked over to where Satomi was and said, "If you're going to try anything on, I would wait until Akito-kun and Natsumi-chan come out."

The woman went wide eyed and looked back at the dressing room. "They aren't _really_ having sex _right_ now…in the dressing room are they?" she yelled in a whisper.

Minako just continued to look alarmed. "If it's not that then they're getting really frisky back there. I think maybe Akito-kun found an outfit he _really_ liked, if you know what I mean."

Satomi shivered, grabbing a few bra and underwear sets. "Well, let's go us the dressing rooms on the other side of the shop." She pointed to a few other changing rooms. Minako grabbed a few more items and followed her, the blush still on her face. Kyo, having already looked around the entire store, just stood next to Toshiro. Looking around, he noticed that it was just he and the redhead out in the store.

"So, there's really nothing going on between you and Minako?" he asked, raising a brow.

"Of course not."

"Then why do you look at her funny sometimes?"

Toshiro rolled his eyes and looked at his soon to be brother in law. "I do not look at her funny."

Kyo snorted. "Sure, and I'm not the Tsuchikage's grandson." Before anything more could be said, Akito and Natsumi walked out of the dressing area. Natsumi's hair was a bit mussed, and she looked satisfied, and Akito had a smug look plastered on his face. In his arms he had a few little outfits, most likely the ones the young Uchiha had deemed good enough to be ripped off his woman's body.

"Well, we're done here." He looked around then. "Are the other two actually trying stuff on?" he asked.

Toshiro and Kyo looked around the store. "Oh I guess they are."

"No way!" Natsumi gasped, running over to the other dressing room. She dragged the curtain back earning a scream from Satomi, who was trying to cover her exposed body. Luckily, she had on the underwear she was trying on.

"Are you out of your mind Natsumi!" Satomi shrieked, turning as red as a tomato.

"Oh la la." Natsumi purred, taking in the sight of her sister. "Very sexy Satomi."

"Will you stop it!" the elder twin yelled, grabbing the curtain and pulling it in front of her to shield her body.

Minako stuck her head out of her dressing room to see what the commotion was about, making sure that her body stayed covered. "What's going on?"

Kyo just stood wide eyed, having caught a glimpse of his future bride. "I really like that one Satomi." He said, trying to fight down his blush.

Satomi went wide eyed, closing the curtain all the way. "Oh my god! Natsumi I'm going to kill you!" she shouted, covering her face with her hands. She was so embarrassed, this couldn't possibly get any worse. Until of course, the curtain rod fell down, having been jerked out of place from the commotion. Satomi peeked through her fingers, seeing the shocked gazes of everyone. "Oh my god, oh my god!" she repeated, scrambling for the fallen curtain and covering herself to the best of her abilities. "You are _so_ dead Natsumi!"

"What! I didn't do that I swear!" the younger pink haired woman huffed.

"Here Satomi-chan let me help you." Minako said, taking pity on her. She snaked her arm out and reached to help raise the curtain from the floor a bit, leaning in order to grab it. In her efforts to help, Minako's curtain fell as well. But due to the way she had been holding it with her left hand, all that was exposed was a pale, smooth leg, all the way up to her hip, because of the type of underwear she had tried on, and part of her side. Hearing the curtain rod hit the floor, Minako froze, blue eyes widening and face becoming red. "Oh God." She whispered, unsure of what could be seen.

Toshiro went wide eyed, unable to stop his gaze from taking in Minako's form. He closed his eyes tightly and let his sand rise in front of Minako, hiding her body from everyone's eyes. He opened his eyes once more, only to be hit in the face with a hanger. He fell back, his nose bleeding, and lay lifelessly on the floor. "You couldn't cover me too you jerk!" Satomi yelled at him.

Kyo set down the bags he was holding and quickly grabbed a fuzzy blanket that was on display. He ran over and held it up so that it hid Satomi. "How is that?" he asked, turning his head so that he wouldn't be tempted to peek while she changed.

She looked at the blanket and quickly changed back into her clothes. When she was finished she grabbed onto the blanket and gave it a small tug, signaling she was finished. When he lowered it, she met his hazel gave and let a small smile form on her face. "Thank you."

He smiled back happily, her smile warming his heart. "No problem. While I did enjoy the view, I didn't want you to be uncomfortable any longer." He said.

By then Minako had finished getting dressed and had emerged from behind the sand. She walked over to where he was lying on the floor and held out her hand to Toshiro in order to help him up. "Thank you for covering me." She said, her blush faded to a light pink.

He took it gratefully and got up, healing his broken nose with a glowing green hand. "Don't mention it."

"Well now that that's settled," Natsumi sighed happily, grabbing both garments from the two girls and adding them to her pile. She took it over to the counter and looked back at Kyo. "Oh Kyo!" she sang beautifully, snapping her fingers and then pointing at the pile of lingerie.

He sighed and reached into his pocket, pulling out a wad of cash. Then he tossed it to her. "Here, I'm not going near those things." He said, shaking his head. He had had enough excitement concerning frilly, lacy things for one day.

She huffed, catching the cash. "I don't know why you're so huffy, I grabbed the ones Satomi had on for her. This is for your benefit." She handed the woman the money then.

"Natsumi!" Satomi growled, blushing once more.

Akito took the bag of 'delicates' from the woman and smirked at his wife. "Don't blame him honey. He just isn't mature enough for such things." She giggled and latched onto Akito's arm, walking out with him. Toshiro just sighed, placing his hand on the small of Minako's back and ushering her out.

Satomi hit her forehead with her palm. "I hope we're going home. I can't be out in public with them much longer!" Kyo smiled slightly and held his hand out to her.

"It's not like we can go anywhere else. You guys spent all the money I had on me." He said.

She glanced down at his hand, looking back up at him then. Slowly, she took his in her own. This was what they would be doing eventually right? She could probably get used to it. "Well then let's get home…okay? And relax." His smile grew at her willingness to touch him. He didn't want things to be weird between them anymore.

"Sounds like a plan." He said, and they followed the group out of the store, heading back to the mansion shortly after.


	33. Doctor, Doctor

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Thirty-Three_

-Doctor, Doctor-

Kyo let out a long groan. He was laying on one of the couches in the living room staring at the ceiling. Just as he had been for the past four days. Akito, who was situated on the opposite couch, glared over at him. "Will you stop that?" he asked grumpily.

The blonde looked over at him. "I can't help it. I'm bored. I want my Satomi." He whined, his brow furrowing. Akito snorted.

"God you are so pathetic. You haven't even known her that long. At least I have a reason to mope. I haven't had any action since Natsumi's been helping out at the hospital." He complained, his frown increasing in its displeasure. Kyo rolled his eyes.

"I knew when I first laid eyes on you guys that you were sex addicts." A pillow hit him in the face then.

"Shut up. You wouldn't understand, since I know you and Satomi haven't done anything like that." Kyo sighed sadly.

"So. I still miss her presence. Her smell, and her smiles." He said, looking at the ceiling dreamily as he pictured his bride to be. Akito nodded.

"Well I miss everything about Natsumi. But mostly, I miss her touch." He told the other man, looking back up at the ceiling as well.

"This sucks."

"Yup." The Uchiha agreed. Both let out pathetic sighs then, each wishing that their medics weren't stuck at the hospital. There had been an increase in attacks on one of Iwa's borders, and injured shinobi had been pouring in lately. So Satomi had gone to work at the hospital, since this would be her home soon, and had asked Natsumi to help, since she couldn't heal everyone on her own.

Toshiro walked in from the kitchen, taking a bite out of his apple. He stopped between the two couches, looking at Kyo and then shifting his gaze to Akito. He took another large bite and sighed. "How long are you losers going to sit here and mop like little girls. You know how pitiful you look right now? They're just women."

"You wouldn't understand." Akito huffed, crossing his arms.

Kyo nodded. "Yeah, your woman has been here hanging out with you the whole time." He said. "If she weren't, you'd be sad too."

"Ok first of all," Toshiro glared, crossing his arms. "Minako is not my woman and second…if you miss them so badly, why don't you just go to the hospital and visit them?"

Kyo looked over at Toshiro and rolled his eyes. "We already tried that. But the receptionist said that the only way we could see them was if we were beaten within an inch of death." He groaned, sliding his hands down his face.

The red head just sighed once more. Did he have to think of everything? "Well then why don't you just get injured, that way you can get into the hospital to see them."

Akito sat up quickly then, excitement showing on his face. "That's brilliant!" he said, hitting a fist into his palm. Kyo looked over at him in confusion.

"But how will we get beaten within an inch of our lives?" he asked.

A sly smirk crept up the red heads features. "Oh I think I can handle that." He said cracking his knuckles as he approached the two.

* * *

Natsumi and Satomi ran down the halls of the hospital, mirroring worried expressions. "What do you think happened to them?" Natsumi asked her sister. The two were dressed in their normal attire, with white lab coats.

"I haven't the faintest idea." She said, looking forward. They stopped when they reached the room they were searching for. A nurse was coming from it and looked up at the two in shock. "Oh Satomi-sama, Natsumi-sama. You're here." The brunette nurse blinked. She held out the two charts to them and they both took one, examining the reports.

"What happened?" Natsumi asked, looking at the door, eager to get inside.

"Well…"she trailed off, frowning. "They didn't say, they just showed up, demanding medical attention."

Satomi glared at the woman. "Well is it serious?"

The nurse paled and moved away from the two who now only looked angry. "You should probably just go in and see for yourselves."

The twins growled and went into the room then. There were two beds situated in the room, side by side with a curtain drawn between them so the patients could have some privacy. Satomi walked over to the furthest bed from the door and stopped next to the slumbering patient. She glared slightly at him, sensing his fake sleep. She lifted her hand and smacked Akito right in the forehead. "You better be really damaged Uchiha and not wasting my time!"

"Well I'm injured now! What kind of hospital care is this?" Akito said, opening his eyes and glaring at her. Why wasn't Natsumi taking care of him? It was then he heard a gasp from the other side of the curtain. He sat up and pulled it back, going wide eyed at what he saw. Apparently in his faked sleep, Kyo had thought that Natsumi was Satomi, and had reached out to grab her butt.

The blonde opened his eyes, and instantly held his hands up by his face when he saw he had the wrong sister. "I didn't mean to, I swear! Well I did…but not to you!" he said. Akito looked at him murderously.

"I'm going to kill you!" he shouted, lunging from his bed at the blonde, wrapping his hands around his neck. They started to struggle then, and Akito began to shake Kyo in his effort to strangle him. "How dare you touch what is mine!" he declared. Kyo tried to defend himself, but all that could be heard was choking noises.

"Akito!" Natsumi yelled worriedly. "You're injured! Stop trying to kill Kyo!" she grabbed onto Akito and pulled him off the panting blonde. She dragged him back over to his hospital bed and heaved him onto the sheets. They were both bruised terribly and seemed to have broken ribs.

Satomi helped Kyo up, settling him back into bed and running her hand down his face gently. "What happened to you Kyo? You're terribly battered."

Natsumi sat down on the edge of the hospital bed, taking one of Akito's legs and massaging it with glowing green hands. He could slowly feel the muscle relaxing and the bones healing from their beating. "My love, how on earth did this happen?"

Both men exchanged a look, and then returned their gazes to their women. "We fell." Kyo said.

"Down the stairs." Akito finished.

"You fell?" both twins said at the same time, they looked at one another and then back at the two. Giving their men skeptical glances.

"It _looks_ like you were beaten up." Satomi pointed out, studying Kyo's bruising.

Natsumi gasped. "Oh baby, did you get in another fight with those silly men. I told you they won't do anything, they're just talk. No need to get so upset." She smiled, brushing some of his dark bangs from his eyes.

He crossed his arms and glared at her lightly. "Oh please. If I were to fight them, they would be dead. In order to get injured this badly, they would actually have to be skilled, or I'd have to just stand there and let them hit me."

Kyo nodded. "Yeah it's not like we got beat up on purpose just to get to spend time with you guys or anything." He froze and his eyes widened slightly. Akito shook his head.

"Idiot." He mumbled.

Both their left eyes twitched and simultaneously they hit Akito and Kyo over the head. "Bakas!" they both yelled.

"Did you get Toshiro to beat you up so you could come in here?" Satomi crossed her arms and glared down at Kyo, daring him to defy her by not answering.

"It was his idea!" Kyo said, rubbing the sore spot on his head.

Natsumi glared down at Akito. "Are you just plain stupid? What were you thinking?"

"No. But you can't blame me for missing you. You're here all day working, and when you come home you're too exhausted to even talk really. You just scarf something down and go to bed. Toshiro was tired of us 'moping around', as he calls it, so he came up with this solution. I figured, if I had to let your brother beat me up in order to spend some quality time with you, it was worth it." He said, almost looking like he was pouting by the end. Couldn't she understand that he had done it for her?

Kyo shrugged. "He punched me in the face before I could do anything about it, so I figured, what the heck?" Satomi shook her head, beginning to heal some of the lesser injuries. She would have to have a talk with Toshiro later. He couldn't just go around beating the crap out of Kyo. Now Akito, on the other hand, she really didn't care if he wanted to beat him up some more.

Natsumi finished with Akito's leg and moved to the other one. "Look, I'm not going to be able to finish healing you, because I have a surgery to get to and a serious poisoning that needs to be taken care of. But I'll be back in a little while ok?" she got up and kissed his forehead lovingly.

He sighed. "Fine."

Kyo smiled. "We'll be just fine in here for a while, you ladies go do your thing." He said.

"Good," Satomi got up then, heading for the door. "Don't do anything stupid."

Natsumi laughed and then hit Akito in the forehead as well, "Don't ever do something like this again." She scolded, wagging her finger in his face. "I know you're strong baby but I don't want my property damaged." She snickered, covering his mouth with hers before he could say anything. She kissed him deeply, holding his face with her hands softly, so she didn't hurt his bruised jaw.

He brought a hand up and wove his fingers in her soft hair, enjoying the contact. When they parted Natsumi smiled at him, and, kissing him once more, left with her sister. Akito placed his hands behind his head and laid back down, a satisfied smile on his face. It was totally worth getting beat up by Toshiro. Kyo frowned. "That is so not fair." He complained, laying back down as well. Akito gave him an odd look.

"You mean you haven't kissed Satomi yet?"

"No. She's only been here for a little over a month, and I want her to get used to everything before doing stuff like that." The blonde said.

"And yet you were going to grab her butt?" the young Uchiha asked with a raised brow.

He smiled. "Yeah. I was going to pretend to be delusional or something, but it didn't work when I peeked and saw Natsumi."

"Not really the best of plans you know. Even if it was Satomi, she might have punched you."

"But I'd still have gotten to touch her butt."

"Touché."

They both looked at the ceiling and let out a sigh at the same time. The wait for the girls to come back was going to be agonizing. There wasn't even anything to do. And, as nice as Kyo seemed to be, and as much as he reminded Akito of Haru, he still wasn't sure about the blonde. Not coming up with something to preoccupy his time, Akito figured he would just take a nap or something. Kyo, it seemed, had a different idea.

"I spy with my little eye…"

Akito groaned. Yup, the wait was going to be an agonizing one.

* * *

Natsumi peeked around the corner, making sure there was no one in the hospital hallway. It was near midnight now. Satomi was making rounds on the other patients. They had already gone in and healed Akito and Kyo earlier but the two were required to stay the night until they could be released. She gripped her lab coat together tightly and hurried to the boy's room. She pressed her ear against the wood and when she heard nothing proceeded inside. When she walked in she saw Kyo fast asleep on his side and Akito slumbering peacefully on his own.

She crept over and grabbed the curtain separating the two beds and pulled it silently. She took a deep breath and removed her lab coat, wearing a very short, too small white nurse's outfit. It obviously wasn't her size, since it couldn't even zip up all the way up her chest, revealing a massive amount of cleavage. She pulled up her thigh high white stockings and smoothed out the little outfit.

Lowering her hand, she let it rest softly on Akito's chest. "Excuse me sir." She whispered, as to not wake Kyo, "I'm your nightingale and I'm going to have to give you your midnight physical exam." She purred, letting her fingers trace down his abs.

Akito's eyes opened instantly and took in the sight before him. A small smile came to his face, and he quickly covered it in one of mock pain. "Oh nurse, I'm so glad you're here. I've been experiencing this stiffening in my lower region, and I just can't seem to get it to go away. Will you help me?" he asked, moving his hand so that it rubbed the back of her thigh.

"Oh course Mr. Uchiha. My job is to make sure all your aches and pains are taken care of." She grabbed onto the blankets and pulled them down. She pushed up the hospital gown he was wearing and stared down at his growing problem. "Oh my." She feigned worry. "It's much harder than I thought," she teased tracing her fingers along his 'problem'. "I'll be using a few new techniques if you don't mind Mr. Uchiha. It's best to try and rub these things out." She said smugly, wrapping a delicate hand around his lower region and beginning a slow massage.

He sucked in a hard breath and clenched his jaw in an attempt to hold in a pleasured moan. God how he loved her. "Use whatever means necessary ma'am. You are the expert after all, my fate rests in your hands."

Natsumi giggled softly, "Mr. Uchiha I know it feels good to have your ache away, but you must be considerate of your roommate." She stopped her ministrations and hiked her knee up on the bed, helping herself up. She sat down on his lap and only then did he realize she was wearing absolutely nothing under her nurse's uniform. She leaned forward and smiled down at him, "Now, the next part of your physical." She said rubbing against him in a teasing manner. She had to bite back a moan of her own. It was agonizing to tease him this way, when she wanted him just as badly.

He placed his hands on her hips and began to rub her thighs, his thumbs tracing her pelvis as he did so. "How am I ever going to repay you for such amazing treatment? Surely there is something I can give you in return." He said, bringing one of his thumbs to her sensitive bud and rubbing it in a circular motion.

"Oh no," she shook her head, letting out a breathless soft moan. "I could never allow you to repay me, I choose to do this." She leaned forward, rubbing her hands up his chest. "But I am using a technique I would never use on anyone else. I made this session special for you so...I suppose you could repay me. I like dinner." She smiled, grinding against him harder.

"I will cook you whatever you want. Just name it." He told her. He reached up and ripped open the nurses uniform so that he could see all of her, feel all of her. Then he cupped a breast as his other hand returned to what it had previously been doing.

She closed her eyes, arching her back a bit. She had missed him too, it was so tiring working in the hospital all day and then coming home and passing out where she couldn't even feel his embrace while they slept. She let her eyes flutter open and glanced down at their touching flesh. She needed him now, "Alright. Now for the final stage of your physical therapy," she whispered and with one quick thrust she felt him inside her and had to bite down on her own hand to stop her pleasured scream.

He grunted slightly at the feel of being inside her again. No matter how many times they had sex she was always surprisingly tight, and he enjoyed it. His hands moved back to her hips and he locked gazes with her. "Here nurse, let me help you." He said, picking her up a bit and dropping her back down onto his shaft.

She couldn't help but let out a soft moan. It felt like fire, filling up her whole body. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the bed on either side of his head and kissed him. She let her fingers run aimlessly through his hair, lifting her hips only to have him slam them back down onto him. She starting thrusting faster, gripping his hair tightly every now and then to stop from letting out a scream. If Kyo woke up, she would probably explode from the embarrassment. But that was also what made it fun, the fact that they could be caught doing such an act made her adrenaline rush.

As he increased the frequency with which he was thrusting into her, Akito kissed her passionately, tracing her lips with his tongue. She opened her mouth with a whimper, and the battle for dominance began. Yes, allowing Toshiro to beat him up was definitely worth it now. He got to play doctor, one of his many fantasies since he had met Natsumi.

She bucked her hips against his, letting his tongue reign over her mouth, he always won in the end anyways and she felt helpless right now. She broke their sloppy kiss, trailing a few down his neck until returning back to his face. "I…can't last much more." She admitted. It had been awhile since they had gotten to be intimate with one another and she felt herself already succumbing to his body. "I love you Mr. Uchiha." She teased, kissing along his jaw line and then nipping at his ear.

He nuzzled her neck and began to trail kisses up it until her reached her ear. "And I love you, Nurse Uchiha." He whispered, licking her earlobe. "Now, make your patient really happy and come for him." He said, increasing the force of his thrusts.

She pulled away from him, moving her hips against his. She couldn't control her panting anymore. She arched back, the tips of her fingers lingering on her perfect skin. "Oh Akito!" she yelled softly, not caring if Kyo heard, she could already feel herself coming. A few more thrusts and they were coming together. Akito groaned as Natsumi moaned, and then she collapsed on top of him. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek.

"You are, without a doubt, the best nurse ever." He panted, exhausted from their activities.

She smiled sleepily, snuggling into his hold. It made her sad to think she wouldn't be able to sleep with him tonight in their bed. "I'm going to miss you tonight baby." She whined, tangling her legs with his.

He began to stroke her hair, enjoying holding her in his arms. "I know, but at least we got to play doctor. When you no longer have to help out in the hospital we'll stay the whole night together."

"That would be nice," she sighed with content. He always made her feel at peace when she was in his arms. Reluctantly, she sat up and stared down at him, not bothering to cover herself. She moved her hips a bit, still having him inside her. "Mmm," she smiled. She pulled off of him and started to zip up the outfit the best she could. "Well, my shift is over. I better head home before the real night nurse comes and checks on you guys." She giggled, getting off the bed and trying to look presentable. Akito sat up and moved his hospital gown back down, covering himself, and then he pulled up the covers.

"I love you." He told her.

"Oh will you two just shut up?" Kyo's irritated voice asked. "It's bad enough I had to listen to you two fuck, but now you have to talk afterwards? I'm trying to sleep!" he whined. Akito snickered.

"Don't mind him, he's just jealous." He said, grabbing Natsumi's waist and pulling her to him so that he could kiss her one last time. "See you in the morning." She laughed against his lips but kissed him back none the less.

"I will check on you right when I get in." she said sweetly, cupping his face and pecking his lips. "Bye sweetie. Have a good night's sleep, I'm sure I got out all your tension." She purred, trailing her fingers down between his legs.

Akito smirked, but grabbed her wrist, pulling her hand away. "Now, now. You'll excite me with your antics. You sure you want to go there?"

"Oh my god!" Kyo yelled, ripping the curtain back and glaring at the two. "You." He pointed at Natsumi a slight blush dusting his cheeks. After all she was in a slutty nurse's outfit, and he couldn't help but imagine it on Satomi. "Get out!" he pointed towards the door, only making the pink haired medic laugh once more.

"Ok, ok." She kissed Akito once more and then pulled away from him. "See you in the morning boys." She waved, disappearing in a swirl of sand.

Akito lay back down with a sigh, smiling like an idiot. Kyo glared at his roommate. "I hate you. So. Much." He said, laying down and rolling so that his back to the other man. Akito chuckled.

"It's mutual."

* * *

"So, you're saying that you two let Toshiro beat you up in order to, what did you call it, play doctor with Natsumi-chan and Satomi-chan?" Minako asked, slightly confused.

"Yeah but it was one of the worst ideas ever." Kyo pouted, crossing his arms and sitting down on one of the couches. Akito smirked.

"Not for me it wasn't." he said, sitting across from the blonde. Toshiro shrugged.

"I got to beat you both up, so I'm happy." Was all he said as he turned a page in the book he was reading.

"You're all stupid. Couldn't you just wait for them to not be busy, instead of intruding on their work? It's important." Minako said.

"You'd do it too Minako, if you had a sexy doctor, gone all day helping others, while you're stuck here absolutely bored and neglected." Kyo said, moving so that he was laying on the couch. "But you don't, so we don't expect you to understand."

She just smirked and crossed her arms. "I do too have a sexy doctor. I just don't have to get beaten up in order to see him." She said without thinking. Her eyes widened and her face turned red then. Everyone else in the room froze in what they were doing, and looked at her. Completely mortified, she laughed awkwardly. "Um…I have to go…dust the plants. Bye!" she said, running up the stairs. Kyo and Akito turned their heads and looks at Toshiro, the shock still evident on their faces.

"Just what exactly did you two do while we were in the hospital?" Akito asked, crossing his arms.

Toshiro just stared after Minako, had she just called him sexy? He finally looked at the two, noting Akito's death glare. "We didn't _do_ anything. She tripped over some books that were on the ground and I healed her ankle. Now don't get your granny panties in a bunch Uchiha because you have no right to try and scold me when you just wanted to get into that hospital so you could fuck my sister." He growled, slamming the book shut and getting up. "Now if you don't mind, I'm going to go train." He said finally and walked out of the room.

"He has a point you know." Kyo said. Akito threw a pillow at him as he lay down on the couch he was on.

"Shut up."

They both let out a sigh then. Hopefully Natsumi and Satomi would finish soon, otherwise, they might just allow Toshiro to beat them up again. And they knew he wouldn't be as gentle as he had been the first time.


	34. Cooking Contest

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Thirty-Four_

-Cooking Contest-

"I'm so tired!" Natsumi whined, laying lifelessly on the couch. Satomi was on the other, looking equally worn out.

"At least we get a night off." She tried to sound positive.

The younger twin huffed, "Yeah and then we have to go back!" she grumbled.

They both sighed together. "I don't want to cook." They said together. Then they heard their stomachs growl in protest. They hadn't eaten much over the past couple of days since they were at the hospital, but there wasn't much they could do about it. And they really, _really_ didn't want to cook dinner, which those jerks Akito and Toshiro assumed they would.

Minako walked into the living room then and plopped down in one of the chairs. "I'm exhausted." She sighed. While Satomi and Natsumi were working at the hospital, Minako had taken it upon herself to do all of the cooking and cleaning, not wanting to be a burden to Kyo. But his house was so huge, there was always something that needed cleaning. And they ate a lot for grown men, so she always had to cook a bunch of food. Then she had to go to the market every day to restock their food supply. By the end of the day, she was tired and worn. But, she knew that what she had been doing was nowhere near as exhausting as what the twins were doing, so she looked over at them.

"I'll make dinner in a minute. Just let me rest my feet." She said. Hearing this, Kyo entered from the kitchen.

"Don't worry about dinner ladies, Toshiro, Akito and I will make it for you!" he offered with a smile.

Both men ran into the living room then, having heard what the blonde said. "What?" they asked. They had been outside training and talking about what they hoped the girls were going to cook for dinner. The fact that now they would have to do it did not appeal to them. At all.

"We should cook dinner for the girls. They've been working so hard the past few days, it's the least we can do." He said.

Akito and Toshiro glared at Kyo, it was time to take this ray of sunshine down. "Well thank you Kyo, you're too kind." Natsumi said happily, relaxing more into the couch, seeing Satomi and Minako do the same. He smiled and grabbed the other two by the arms and dragged then into the kitchen. "Ok…" he shoved them towards the stove and huffed. "Now get to it! Those ladies are starving out there."

"The hell I'll get to it! Why aren't you doing anything?" Toshiro pointed accusingly. He was not a slave and he didn't care that this kid was the Tsuchikage's grandson. He was the Kazekage's first born and he'd be damned if he let some punk push him around.

"Yeah Kyo. You said 'we should cook dinner for the girls'. 'We' implies all three of us, not just me and Toshiro." Akito said, crossing his arms.

The blonde scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Well…you see…I don't really know how to cook." He admitted.

The redhead sighed and then a thought popped into his head. "It's not hard Kyo…_anyone_ can cook. Besides Akito and I aren't even that good either." He smiled, seeing Akito was about to protest he spoke again. "So you know what would make things interesting? Why don't we make this a little competition? Just so it's fun. We'll all make each of them a meal, small portions so they don't get too full. Let's say salad, main meal, and dessert? Ok?" he finished, giving Akito a haughty look and hoping he would catch on. He did.

Akito smiled and nodded in understanding. "Sounds good to me." He said, already knowing what he would make. He was a master in the kitchen, something he suspected Toshiro was too. They were going to utterly humiliate Kyo, and he couldn't wait.

* * *

"You know…I've never actually seen Kyo cook anything before." Satomi said, as the three girls sat idly around the kitchen table. She shrugged, not really thinking much about it.

Natsumi leaned forward, resting her head on the table as she held her stomach. "Oh it smells good. I wonder what they are going to make for us."

It was then that all three men walked out, holding three plates filled with leafy greens. They placed the small portions in front of each woman and Toshiro and Akito exchanged knowing looks. "Wow! These look yummy!" Natsumi exclaimed, pulling the garden salad towards her first. "Mmm, Toshiro delicious as always." Satomi and Minako did the same, complimenting the redhead.

"If you don't mind. Sisters, Minako. Akito, Kyo, and I are having a competition, to see who the best chef is. Would you all judge?" Toshiro asked smugly. Both Natsumi and Satomi stopped eating and looked to their brother. Natsumi glanced at Akito and saw a victorious smirk gracing his own features. But when she looked over at Kyo, he seemed nervous. It was then the two pink haired twins realized what their brother was trying to do.

"Sure, why not." Natsumi said, finishing her salad and then moving onto the caesar salad Akito had made. It looked really yummy too.

"Wonderful. I know you ladies will just love what I'm making for you." Akito said. Kyo just waited for them to finish with Akito's salad and move on to his.

Satomi pushed Akito's away once she was finished. She had to admit, it was delicious. She pulled Kyo's towards her and looked down at the least appetizing of the three. She grimaced, as did Minako and Natsumi. "Are these…" Natsumi began, picking up one of the leave in the salad. "Leaves from the tree out front?"

Kyo nodded enthusiastically. "Yup. Akito and Toshiro said it was called a nature salad. So I handpicked leaves off the tree, a few acorns, and some berries from the bushes." He said, smiling. Minako sent a light glare at her friend, knowing what they were doing to poor Kyo. She put some of the salad on her fork and looked at it hesitantly.

The elder twin glared at her brother and the Uchiha, trying her best to contain her fury. Wordlessly, she took her fork and stuck it into the leaves. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, sticking the forkful of leaves in her mouth. She had to use all her will power not to let the disgust show on her face. She chewed slowly, getting wide eyed stares from both girls and both horrified men. Kyo just looked as if he might die if she didn't say something soon. She swallowed the scratchy leaves and breathed out. "It's delicious."

"Really?" he asked, his voice full of hope. Minako took a bite of hers as well, and after chewing a bit, gave him a tight smile after she swallowed.

"Oh yes Kyo. I've never had a salad that tasted so…fresh before." She said.

Natsumi gulped, looking down at the salad. She needed to steel her nerves. Even if she thought Kyo was weird, this was just mean of Toshiro and Akito. Not to mention Akito would have to pay later for making her eat this crap when she was starving. She did the same and shoved some of the salad into her mouth, making sure she didn't choke and spit it out. "Wow Kyo…you've got a gift. This is much better than Toshiro or Akito's." she lied. Both Akito's and Toshiro's jaws dropped. They had been counting on Natsumi to be blunt and rampage about why he would dare feed her something from a dirty tree. They watched as the girls finished the whole salad, minus the acorns, and they quickly pushed the bowls away taking a drink of water to rid their mouths of the disgusting tastes. "That was…wonderful."

Toshiro just growled and did an about face, heading back into the kitchen. He sure as hell wasn't going to let this punk one up him in anything. Akito scowled and followed the redhead wordlessly, while Kyo looked like the happiest man in the world. Once they were gone Minako looked at the twins. "I can't believe they're being so mean to Kyo!" she exclaimed in a hushed tone so that they wouldn't hear.

"I think I'm going to throw up." Natsumi sulked, placing her head on the table. "My tongue is so sad."

Satomi sighed and looked at the door to the kitchen. She turned back to Minako, taking her napkin and setting it in her lap. "I'm going to kill them." She stated, trying not to show her true anger.

Natsumi sat up and frowned. "Well, ok. Here's the plan, we eat Kyo's first that way it's not the last thing we taste. And when it's over we just let him win. Because those jerks don't deserve any ego boosting." She crossed her arms, glaring off at the kitchen.

Minako nodded. "Let's do that. Good idea Natsumi-chan."

It wasn't too long later that they came back out, each holding three plates once more. Toshiro sat his down, it was grilled chicken covered in yuzu miso sauce with a side of sweet potatoes. Natsumi tried not to let her mouth water. It smelled absolutely delicious and she was so hungry. Akito sat his down next, which was small lamb steaks, cooked to perfection, mashed potatoes and green beans. Minako and Satomi looked at the two dishes in awe, both ready to just chow down. Then, all three of the women's gazes moved to Kyo. He set his dish down with a smile, and their eyes widened at what it was. He had made macaroni and cheese, or what smelled to be macaroni and cheese. The noodles had been cooked for too long, and now the whole thing just looked like yellow, mushy slop.

Minako pulled Kyo's dish towards her and took a bite. "Mmmm." She said, smiling wide enough to cover the queasiness that was showing in her eyes.

Natsumi inwardly cried as she began eating Kyo's dish. "It's so good Kyo," she said, holding her napkin to her lips as if she were trying to be proper. But in reality she was about to throw up, it was so slimy and crunchy at the same time. Satomi just ate it as quickly as possible. It was absolutely_ the_ worst macaroni and cheese she had ever eaten. They all finished about the same time and took long sips of their water.

"Thank you Kyo." Satomi said softly, she didn't know how long she could keep this charade up. "It was wonderful," she said almost smiling. But her unhappy stomach would just not allow it.

"Now for the others." Natsumi said eagerly, pulling Akito's forward and beginning to eat. It was _so_ good. She'd never tasted lamb this delicious. But of course, she housed her pleasure inside and made a contemplative face. "Hmm…it's alright." She shrugged, continuing to eat it. She just hoped it didn't look like she was enjoying it.

Toshiro couldn't believe it, they actually ate that disgusting cheesy mess? And liked it? He tried not to let his irritation show, since they had yet to eat his.

Akito narrowed his eyes as he watched them eat his dish. He knew for a fact that it was amazing, since it was not only one of his specialties, but he had made one for himself and had eaten it. After finishing Akito's dish, Minako moved on to Toshiro's. She took a bite, and had to hold in a pleasured moan at how it tasted. "The sauce is a little tangy, but other than that it's good." She said, silently apologizing to the redhead.

Toshiro's eye twitched. There was absolutely no way. The sauce was perfect, he had tasted it himself. Satomi had to force herself not to cry, Akito's dish was so yummy, and then Toshiro's was exquisite as always. They were both so delicious, but luckily, she had practiced enough self-restraint for the night to fake it. "The lamb was a bit dry and this chicken is too tough. You should have cooked it better." She said simply, getting a nod from both Natsumi and Minako.

Akito and Toshiro stormed back into the kitchen, followed by a gleeful Kyo. He was just so happy they liked what he had made them. They came back out with dessert. Akito had made chocolate cake, Toshiro had made some salty ice cream, and Kyo placed down some odd dark pile that looked suspiciously like dirt. Natsumi sighed and looked up, "I believe I enjoyed Kyo's dish the most."

"As did I." Satomi said quickly. "It was much more delicious."

Minako nodded, "Thank you Kyo for the wonderful meal."

"No!" Toshiro actually yelled, getting the attention of all three women, who were now wide eyed. "No! No! No!" he stomped on the ground. "That is impossible! There is no way on earth that his cooking was better than mine!"

"Or even mine!" Akito agreed, crossing his arms. He had more dignity than to stomp like a child. "I have been cooking my entire life, I learned from Minako's mom!" he looked at the ebony haired girl then. "You can't sit there and tell me you didn't like it, you love it when I cook!" he accused.

She gave him an apologetic smile. "Yes, but all of Kyo's dishes were of a caliber that I have never tasted before. It was just so new, so fresh-"

"So disgusting." Akito finished with a glare. Kyo just waved his hands and smiled, trying to diffuse the situation.

"Now, now guys, don't get upset. I guess I just have a knack for cooking that you two lack. It's no big deal."

They both glared at the blonde hatefully, Akito's eyes twisting into a crimson red as Toshiro's sand snaked its way around Kyo's legs. Natsumi stood and glared at her husband, clearing her throat for emphasis and finally getting the man's attention. "Uchiha Akito, if you don't back down _right_ now you will be sleeping on the couch tonight."

Reluctantly his eyes changed back to their natural forest green. He dropped his arms, and a look similar to a pout came to his features. "But I'm an excellent cook…" he trailed off, not understanding why they had chosen Kyo's dishes over his. Toshiro's he would be more understanding of, because he actually _could_ cook.

Minako stood as well. "You're both excellent cooks. We just liked Kyo's better." Then she looked at the redhead. "Toshiro, knock it off. Kyo didn't do anything to you." She said, raising a knowing brow at him. The sand didn't stop tightening and nor did the redhead's glare ease up.

"Toshiro." Satomi snapped, glaring fiercely at her brother. "Let him go." She ordered. After a minute or two the sand slid off Kyo and Toshiro crossed his arms stubbornly. He walked out of the room then, glancing over his shoulder. "I wouldn't eat the mud pie Kyo made. He really got mud from the back yard to make it." He glared back and then disappeared out the door.

The three girls stared horrified at the 'mud pie' Kyo had placed in front of them. But quickly changed their expressions when the blonde looked back at them. Akito just left the room angrily, deciding to go to bed early since he saw no reason to stay up longer.

"I don't understand…they told me that people in Suna and Konoha liked mud pies. Was I mistaken?" he asked innocently. He just looked so honest in that moment that none of the women could find it in their hearts to tell him he had been played.

"We do Kyo, but I'm so full from dinner, I'll just wait until tomorrow to eat any dessert. Wouldn't want a stomach ache after all." Minako smiled, rubbing her stomach for emphasis.

Satomi and Natsumi nodded quickly, "Yes, after all we had three very delicious meals." Natsumi said pushing her chair in. "Well I've got a long day at the hospital tomorrow, can't stay up too late." She waved and hurried away before he could guilt her into eating dirt.

Satomi just watched her sister leave and then glanced back at Kyo. She hoped he didn't expect her to eat something off the ground, because she would draw the line there. "Yes. I am full as well."

Minako picked up the cake and ice cream and left, going to put both away so they didn't spoil. She would definitely be eating these tomorrow. Kyo smiled at Satomi. "Alright. I'm really glad you liked what I made. I've never actually cooked before, so I was really unsure about it." He scratched the back of his head in slight embarrassment at his admission. "I guess I'll just have to cook more often now, since I'm good at it."

"No!" she went wide eyed. Realizing her blunder she quickly covered it up, "I mean…Kyo I'm going to be your wife. That's one of my jobs, cooking for you. Plus I love to cook and I want to make you happy and cooking makes me happy. So why don't you let me do it ok?"

He nodded. "Alright. I want you to be happy as well, so whenever you're too tired to make anything just tell me, and I'll cook. That way I don't feel like I'm taking advantage of you all the time."

"Don't worry." She assured him. There was no way she could get tired of cooking if that was what awaited. "I promise it's going to be fine." She stood then and sighed, "Come on, let's go to bed." She gestured, they had been sleeping in the same bed for at least a month now. It wasn't awkward like she thought it would be, but it wasn't romantic either. They hardly touched while they were in bed, but it was nice.

"Okay." He said, following her up the stairs. He wondered, if when they were married, she would allow him to touch her. As it was, he kept contact with Satomi to a minimum because he didn't want her to be uncomfortable or freak her out. He only hoped that someday he could touch her freely the way Akito did to Natsumi. But such things would have to wait. He flipped off the downstairs lights and headed to the master bedroom with Satomi.

Natsumi pushed open the door to hers and Akito's bedroom. She peered inside the dark room seeing that Akito was already in bed, his back to the door. She came in, shutting the door quietly. She felt really bad about lying to him. His food really was delicious. But he shouldn't have been so mean to Kyo. She crawled onto the bed and hovered over him, kissing his cheek. "I love you baby." She whispered into his ear, rubbing his arms soothingly.

He grunted, not bothering to open his eyes. "You just don't like my cooking." He pouted.

"I loved your cooking," she said softly, running her fingers through his hair. "But my love…you were being so mean to Kyo. I couldn't allow it."

He rolled over and opened his eyes. "Well it was Toshiro's idea. And I didn't think you were actually going to eat that crap anyways."

"Well I did and it was terrible. But it made him happy, he's going to be our family soon…" she held his face in her hands and smiled down at him. "We have to be nice to one another." She told him, kissing him softy. "I love you Akito. I hope you'll make me dinner sometime soon."

He sighed and cupped her cheek. "I love you too." Then he smiled. "I can't believe your brother stomped his foot." He snickered.

She laughed and nodded. "Toshiro is a very good cook, he must be upset that we did that to him." She laid down then and let out a deep breath. "Well I have an early morning tomorrow, so I think I'm going to go ahead and hit the hay." She told him, looking over at him before turning on her side. She pulled up the covers and surrounded herself with their warmth. Akito rolled over and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest.

"So, you're too tired to punish me for being so mean?" he asked, nuzzling her neck affectionately. She smiled, snuggling into his grasp. She loved him so much.

"Goodnight Akito." She said sweetly, placing her hands on top of his and closing her eyes. He sighed once more and kissed her cheek.

"Goodnight Natsumi." He said, laying his head on his pillow and shutting his eyes.


	35. Date

**Magnetism **

_Chapter Thirty-Five_

-Date-

Natsumi sat on the couch, in a very odd position. She was upside down, with her head hanging over the edge and her feet over the back of it. She was reading a book at the moment and Satomi had been staring at her for the past fifteen minutes, trying to figure out why. "What are you doing?" she finally asked.

The younger twin glanced up from her book and stared at Satomi. "I'm reading."

"I can see that…I meant why are you reading when you are sitting upside down?" She pointed out.

Natsumi didn't answer at first but then shrugged. "I dunno."

Minako walked in then, eating some of the left over ice cream Toshiro had made. "Hey Minako." The twins said together. They had been in Iwa for nearly two weeks now and everything seemed perfectly normal. Things had changed between the girls and they had become friends, which was odd considering Natsumi loved holding grudges and Minako was once Akito's fiancé. Then again no one knew Akito and Natsumi were married, well, almost everyone didn't know.

"Hey guys." She said, sitting in one of the chairs. "Natsumi-chan, why are you reading upside down?" she asked, tilting her head to the side in confusion.

"Why not?" she countered.

Minako shrugged. "I don't know." Then she went back to eating her ice cream. It was just so tasty, much better than what they had in Konoha. After a few moments she began to hum softly, just a happy melody she was making up on the spot. It was strange, she was perfectly content at the moment, considering she hadn't been home in almost three months now. But she was happy staying with her new friends. It was almost like they were a family now. And she got to see Toshiro every day. Over the time they had stayed in Iwa, and even travelling, she had gotten to know the redhead very well, and now had a legitimate crush on him. Not a crush per se, more like she liked him. A lot. But she didn't want to make things weird or anything, and didn't know how he felt, so she kept such feelings to herself and continued to act the same as she always had.

It was then that Toshiro walked into the living room, he appeared to be searching for something, or someone, and when his pale gaze focused on Minako he stopped. "Oh Minako, there you are. I've been looking for you, I was just-" he stopped, looking past the ebony haired girl and seeing his sister's staring at him intently. "I was just…" he trailed off, trying to focus on only Minako, but the curious gazes were making him uncomfortable. "Do you two mind?" he growled.

"Mind what?" Natsumi said smugly, a smirk crawling up her face. The red head rolled his eyes and gave her a threatening look. Natsumi just laughed, "Oooh, I'm so scared." She teased.

Toshiro huffed and crossed his arms, "Minako can I, uh, speak to you? Outside?" he asked, sparking all three girl interest immediately.

"Of course." She said, sitting her now finished ice cream bowl down on the table and following him outside. She would just take care of the bowl once she had spoken to Toshiro. She was honestly curious as to what he needed to speak to her about that was so important nobody could be around.

"Would you go on a date with me?" he asked bluntly.

Her eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment she stood there, speechless. Then what he had asked her registered in her mind, but all she could think to say was, "Huh?"

He sighed, trying not to be irritated with her obvious lack of answer. "Well I like you and I'm pretty sure you like me and I think at this point our relationship has developed enough for it to be proper that I ask you on a date. So do you want to? I mean, if I'm off base here please tell me. But you're always staring at me and get all red when I say certain things so I assumed you liked me and that this would be acceptable. Though, now that I keep talking I can't help but feel more and more like an idiot." He frowned, looking down at her sadly. "What was I thinking? This was a dumb idea, never mind. Sorry, I did not mean to bother you." He bowed his head apologetically and headed back for the door.

"No!" she actually yelled, grabbing his arm to halt his retreat. He turned and looked at her quizzically. "Um…I would love to go on a date with you." She said, a blush creeping up her cheeks. He blinked and seemed to be studying her face. Then he smiled, making her heart stop. What was this family and looking absolutely flawless when they smiled?

"Alright then. Tonight, we can leave around six o'clock. Is that ok for you?" he asked sincerely.

She smiled. "Yes, that's perfect." She said. Then she looked at the sun dial in the garden and noticed it was already four. Her eyes widened. "Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed, gripping her hair. Then she looked at him worriedly. "I have to get ready!" she ran back inside the house then, ignoring her empty bowl and Satomi and Natsumi's curious looks.

Toshiro walked in, watching Minako run up the stairs in a mad flurry. Both Natsumi and Satomi focused on their brother. _Uh oh_, he thought as they both got up. He was about to get double teamed. "Well if you'll excuse me." He turned around to go get ready, only to be met with Natsumi's knowing gaze. He backed up and ran into something, glancing back and seeing Satomi. "So?" they asked simultaneously.

"What?" he asked, attempting to glare at both of them.

"Don't what us." Natsumi huffed.

"What did you want to talk to Minako about?"

"Tell us." They demanded.

He sighed and rubbed the back of his head, "Nothing. I just asked her on a date is all." He said simply. The twins stared at him, now both in front of him. They leaned away from each other and seemed to be looking at something behind him. They straightened and pointed behind him. "What?" he asked, they both just sighed and turned him around, seeing a pretty annoyed Uchiha, whose crimson glare was focused on a certain red head.

"You what?" Akito asked, crossing his arms, his voice dangerously low.

Toshiro just smirked. He was one of the few people not intimidated by the Uchiha, especially when it came to matters concerning Minako. "I said, that I am taking Minako out on a date tonight. Why? Are you going to do something about it?" he taunted, pacing forward in a challenging manner.

Akito stood his ground and narrowed his eyes. "No, it would anger Minako." He walked forward until he was looking Toshiro in the eye. "But if you hurt her, in any way, I will kill you." He threatened, allowing his sharingan to swirl into the Mangekyou. "And it won't be pleasant."

The red head didn't back down, he just crossed his arms. "Don't worry Akito, I'm not hiding a fiancé back in Suna." He said simply, walking past the wide eyed Uchiha. He pat his shoulder and continued up the steps, going to his room to get ready.

Changing his eyes back to their normal green, Akito looked at Natsumi. "I'm going to follow them on their date." He declared.

"Oh! Sounds fun! Like spies!" she swung her leg up in kick.

Satomi just gave her an odd look. "Or…like ninja's."

Natsumi shook her head and laughed, "No, no, no. Definitely spies. This gives me a chance to wear my new spy outfit!" she pumped her fist in the air excitedly.

"When did you get a spy outfit? And can't you just wear ninja clothes? They're the same thing." Satomi said, starting to look really irritated.

"Uh no it's not the same thing, ninja don't have black spandex jumpsuits." She pointed out, starting up towards the stairs. "And I bought it with Kyo's money when we went shopping when no one was looking." She shrugged.

"We were with you the whole time."

"Or were you?" she snickered and disappeared up the steps.

Satomi just shook her head and sighed. "She has some series issues."

Akito shrugged. "Who cares? I get to see her in a skin tight spandex outfit." He said, following her up the stairs.

The pink haired woman just rolled her eyes and went upstairs as well. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

Natsumi slid her sword sling over her head so that her sword was secure on her back. She had on a black skin tight spandex suit with her knee high ninja shoes on over it. "Alright now for the final piece." She said, pulling on a tight mask made of the same material. The only visible body part was her brilliant jade eyes. "Ok now everyone else." She turned to Akito, Kyo, and Satomi who were all dressed similarly, only in their own ninja shoes.

"I don't feel comfortable in this…" Kyo said looking off. These things were a little _too_ skin tight for his liking. "And how did I get dragged into following them. And where did you even get these?"

"Silence!" Natsumi ordered, pointing at him. "I am the leader of this mission and I say put the mask on." Kyo sighed and did as she said, he really didn't want to argue. Satomi just stared at her sister.

"What?"

"You do realize you're dressed like a ninja right?" she arched a delicate brow.

"Yes and?"

"I thought you were going for spy."

"I am."

There was silence then, obviously the elder twin didn't get it. Natsumi sighed, annoyed she had to explain such a simple matter. "You see Satomi, as a spy I have to blend in to my surroundings and since we're in a ninja village, we have to look like ninjas. Understand?"

Satomi just hit her palm to her forehead. "Do you hear yourself when you talk?"

"Yes, I know, I sound beautiful." She clapped excitedly. Satomi face palmed again and just let it go, pulling on her tight face cover.

Akito just looked at himself and let a pleased smirk come to his face. He looked awesome. All those hours of training paid off, and, on top of that, Natsumi looked so great, it was difficult to control himself. But he had to focus on the mission right now. "Is everyone ready? They're leaving at six."

"Shhh!" she held up her hands and leaned over the balcony. They were over the garden in the yard. "Here they come."

Toshiro walked out of the house with Minako, smiling down at her. "You looked very pretty Minako." She was dressed up in the purple dress she had gotten when they went shopping. Her hair was pinned back on the right side with the butterfly clip she had bought as well, and on her feet she wore a pair of dark purple strapless heels.

"Thank you. You look very handsome as well." She said, blushing lightly.

He laughed, he hadn't gotten too dressed up. He just had on some nice black jeans and a black button up shirt. "Come on," he offered her his hand down to her. She placed her hand in his and they started off, walking towards the center of the village. "So Minako, what do you think of Iwa?" he asked a bit awkwardly. He hadn't really thought that far ahead and found himself trying to make conversation. But he had never been on a date before, so he really didn't know what to do.

She shrugged. "It's a nice village, although now that I think of it I miss my own." She smiled at him. "I guess I've just been having too much fun with everyone lately to think about it."

"Yeah," he agreed. Now that she mentioned it, he really missed Suna and idly wondered if he would ever be allowed to go back. Well that was all up to Natsumi. He shook his head, riding his thoughts. This was not the time to think like that. "Well, I made us reservations at a very nice restaurant. I hope you like it." He smiled, leading her towards a very nice looking establishment. They walked in, not noticing the four pairs of eyes glued on them.

"Aw." Natsumi smiled, they were all perched up in a nearby tree. "They're going out to eat. That's so sweet. And Minako looks so pretty."

"He better not put any moves on her." Akito grumbled, scowling behind his mask. All three of them looked over at Akito, sighing.

"Dude don't _even_," Kyo glared. "You had sex in a hospital bed. RIGHT NEXT TO ME!" he yelled, getting a few confused looks from some passing by villagers. They couldn't see them, but the stared up at the tree and then hurried along.

"Be quiet Kyo." Natsumi huffed. "You're going to give our position away."

Toshiro pulled Minako's chair out for her, and she sat down after thanking him. After ordering their drinks, Minako looked around the restaurant. It really was nice, the perfect setting for a date, something she had never been on before now. "I have to confess something." She said, looking at him nervously. "I've never actually been on a date before, so I don't really know what I'm supposed to do."

"That's ok." He said with a small shrug. "Neither have I. So I guess we'll just take it as it comes." He opened his menu then and skimmed over what they had to offer. There were quite a few new dishes since they were in a foreign country. Their waiter came back with their drinks and took their orders, giving them a pleased look. They were simply adorable looking.

"So." Toshiro looked around and then focused on her. "How's your training going, I noticed you were working on taijutsu the other day."

She smiled. Training was something she knew how to talk about, and it was a comfortable topic of conversation. "It's going really well. The Hyuuga use a different type of taijutsu for the Gentle Fist, but I've been working on regular Taijutsu to incorporate it in my attacks so that I'm not too predictable when fighting. And I think I finally mastered this move my Uncle Neji was teaching me before I left, so I'm very pleased with myself. What about you?"

He leaned back in his chair, running one of his hands through his hair. "Pretty good. My sand is pretty much as good as it's going to get, unless I invent some new stuff. I was working on my taijutsu the other day, but I guess I just wish I had my sister's speed. A little late for that though," he laughed, returning her smile. "Just think of how much power I could add to my fist."

She laughed in return, picturing it in her head. "I can imagine. You would be quite the force to be reckoned with." She said, taking a drink of water.

"Are they seriously talking about training? What a lame conversation for a date." Kyo said, shaking his head.

Akito looked over at him with a raised brow. "And what would you know about dates, huh Kyo?"

"I know plenty, I take Satomi on them all the time. Right Satomi?" the blonde said, turning his head in her direction.

"He does," she sighed. Not that she didn't enjoy them. They were always nice and he loved to talk and since she wasn't very talkative she liked it, even if he did think she thought it was annoying.

It wasn't long before their food came and they ate in companionable silence. They spoke every now and then, but they were both quiet and they seemed to enjoy one another's company. "So…do you think we're going to go try to find the ones who framed Konoha?" he asked seriously. He was having a nice time in Iwa, but ever since hearing the news from Itachi the subject would not leave his mind.

"I think we should. I mean, as far as I know Suna accused Konoha of killing those council members, we denied it, they had proof, we continued to deny it, and then a war broke out." She said, throwing her hands up in the air. "For some reason nobody in Konoha thought to investigate the matter fully, so it couldn't hurt if we did." She said, taking a sip of her water.

"And you're sure it wasn't a higher up decision? I mean, I don't know how Konoha works, but my family makes up like half the council so nothing goes on that we don't know about. But you guys don't have a council in Konoha do you?" he asked, continuing to eat.

"I'm sure of it. Danzo is dead, so it wasn't him or any of his subordinates, and the Elders aren't foolish enough to ruin a perfectly good alliance that had been stable for many years. And even if they were, I can assure you it wouldn't have been executed so poorly that Suna discovered it was us." She said, taking a bite of her pasta. "They are much craftier than that, believe me."

Toshiro sighed and thought about who it could possibly be. He stopped eating and looked at her, slightly alarmed. "You don't think it could have been Iwa, do you?" he asked, his voice lowering as his suspicion rose. "Iwa and Suna have always hated each other. It would make sense. And then this random peace treaty? Out of the blue? What is that?"

Minako froze in her eating as well and leaned forward so that their faces were closer. "It could have been. It is odd that they would suddenly wish for an alliance with Suna, when they have never had one in the past. Both countries have always hated each other." She said. Then she paused. "I could always break into the records room and check it out." She suggested. "It wouldn't take long, since every Kage Tower is set up similarly, and I know the Konoha one like the back of my hand."

He looked skeptical. "I'm not doubting your ninja abilities Minako, but don't you think it would be better if someone who could disappear did it. We don't want to break in and give them reason to mistrust us in case the alliance is for real."

Satomi went wide eyed and glanced at Kyo then her sister. "What are they talking about? Konoha was framed?" Natsumi nodded and then the three looked at Kyo. "Is this a lie?" she demanded, pulling off her mask and glaring at the blonde. "Did Iwa set Konoha up and now…what are you trying to do?"

Natsumi went wide eyed, watching the interaction between the two. Why was her sister reacting so hostilely? Actually, why was she reacting emotionally at all?

Satomi jumped down from the tree, anger filling her. If this was all some elaborate plan, she didn't know what she would do. She had come to this stupid village to marry someone she had never met before and even started to like him! She felt so foolish. But it all made sense. Iwa would stage something like this.

Kyo hopped out of the tree and ran after her, pulling off his mask. "Satomi wait! It's not a lie, I swear!" he said, catching up to her. He placed his hand on her arm and gave her a pleading look. "I agreed to the marriage arrangement because I wanted to, not because it was part of some elaborate plan to con Suna."

She faced him, tears filling her eyes for the first time. "How do I know you're not lying?" she yelled, hating how unstable she felt right now.

His face turned into one of shock at her tears, and her question. "Because…I…like you. A lot." He said, rubbing the side of his neck and looking away nervously. Then he locked gazes with her. "And I would never do anything to hurt you. I know I act like it, but I'm not stupid."

"I know you're not stupid…" she said softly. "I never thought you were…" she stopped talking then. She didn't know what to believe. What if Konoha wasn't set up? What if they really did attack Suna and were just trying to pretend they were framed? But then why did Toshiro believe it? Natsumi she could understand because she was in love with Akito, but Toshiro was more analytical than that. Then it finally registered what he had said. "You like me?" she asked in disbelief.

"Well, yeah. You're smart, pretty, caring, and really strong, what's not to like?" he asked with a shrug.

She stared at him for a moment. "Sometimes I feel that my inability to express my emotions makes you sad."

He smiled. "Nah, I think I express enough emotions for the both of us." He joked. Then his face became serious. "It's not that, but, sometimes I don't know if you would welcome my touch, you know? Like if I were to just reach out and hold your hand, or hold you in my arms when we sleep…just stupid stuff like that." He said, trying to sound manly and failing. "So…I don't, because I don't want to upset you."

She pressed her lips together tightly, "I don't know how I would react." She admitted. "No one's ever tried."

Tentatively, he reached out and grabbed her hand, lacing their fingers together. "How's that?" he asked, giving her a small smile as he gently rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. She stared at their contact, not really knowing what to do. Her fingers were loose between his comforting grasp. Slowly, she tightened her grip a bit. She looked up at him, lingering on his smile.

"You make my heart smile." She said, looking off. "It's just my head that has a hard time wrapping itself around it."

His eyes widened for a split second, but he recovered quickly and smiled at her. "Then, I will make sure to work extra hard so that you can smile for real. Because then it will mean that I made you happy, and your happiness is important to me." He said, placing his free hand over their joined ones.

The hint of a smile formed on her face. "I'm sure you will get it." She said, feeling her smile grow. It was a small one, but it was definitely a smile. "And maybe…tonight, if you want to, you can hold me while we sleep."

He looked like a child who was given a puppy for Christmas in that moment. "Really? I promise I won't do anything inappropriate." He said, still excited about the prospect of their relationship moving forward. Even if it was only a little.

She laughed, giving him an endearing look. "I know you won't. Though…you did attempt to grab my butt if you don't remember." She pointed out, a devious look crossing her face.

He scoffed. "Yeah, but I was going for the whole delusional patient doesn't know what they're doing thing, and wound up with a letdown when I realized it was your sister and not you." He said, frowning slightly. He was still upset that he hadn't gotten to touch Satomi's butt, no matter what the consequences were.

"Well we are identical twins, in every way. So it's kinda the same." She shrugged.

He shook his head. "No, it's not. I bet your butt feels a lot better than hers." He said, then his eyes widened as he realized what he had said. "Uh…"

She blinked, but before anything could be said they were interrupted. "Kyo? Satomi?" Toshiro stared at them oddly as him and Minako walked up. "What are you guys doing out here…and what are you wearing?" he seemed baffled as he took in their appearance.

Satomi looked over to her brother and then Minako. "Oh…we were…um…" she glanced back at Kyo and then an idea popped in her head. "Kyo was given these new outfits by his…grandfather…and we were testing them out for mobility." She nodded.

He caught on quickly and nodded. "Yeah, he was thinking about using these for our Anbu units. You know, to help with stealth and stuff. What do you think?" he asked.

"Well…" the redhead frowned, giving them another once over. "Tell him he should rethink it because…those are _really_ tight. I can see all your junk." He sighed, leading Minako off to continue their date. They were going to go get some dessert and then head home. Satomi couldn't help but lower her gaze and go a bit wide eyed.

"Oh wow."

He followed her gaze and tore his hand from hers in order to cover himself. "Well…this is embarrassing." He said, blushing slightly. Now he felt like a prude, since he knew Akito was just walking around in all his glory, since he wasn't one to be embarrassed about such things.

Satomi moved behind him and started to push Kyo in the direction of home. "Come on, let's just get home and we can change and relax for the evening."

"Wanna light a fire and snuggle?" he asked, looking over his shoulder at her.

"It is kind of cold," she said absent mindedly. "Ok," she nodded and continued home.

Natsumi sighed and pulled off her mask. "Well this was a failure." She huffed, looking over at Akito. "Wanna go home?"

He sighed and pulled off his as well. "Yeah." Then he gave her a devious look. "We can play enemy spies. I'll be the one who gets captured." He suggested, wagging his eyebrows at her.

She arched a delicate brow, smirking. "You're going to regret that decision." She purred seductively, grabbing his hand and disappearing in a swirl of sand.

* * *

Toshiro and Minako walked up to the house, slowing their pace as they got closer. The redhead stopped once they were in the yard, halting her movements as well. "Minako…" he said softly, pulling her a bit closer. He touched her cheek with his hand, holding her face gently. "I had a really nice time tonight. I'm glad you came with me."

She smiled at him and leaned her head into his hold, enjoying his touch. "I'm glad that you asked me. Everything was perfectly wonderful."

He nodded, "Well…except seeing Kyo in that body suit…that was weird. But it was great." He smiled. There was a silence then and Toshiro slowly leaned down. He couldn't help but think, if Akito ruined this moment, he would kill him. Minako's breath hitched, and she tilted her head and closed her eyes, anticipating the kiss that would be her first. And then their lips met in a soft kiss. It lasted long, but it was simple. When he pulled away he stared down at her, moving once more and kissing her again. It was like something sweet. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into him. It was much better than she imagined it would be, and was happy that it was with him.

When they finally pulled apart they glanced back at the house. It was pretty late. "Well we should probably get in there before they start searching for us." He sighed, taking her hand and leading her in. They stopped in the living room, a bit shocked. Kyo was sitting on the couch, holding a book in one hand, his other running through Satomi's long pink locks. She was fast asleep, using Kyo's lap for a pillow. He glanced over when he saw the two. He was back in his normal clothes. Thank God. "What are you doing?" Toshiro asked, arching a brow.

"Reading, what does it look like?" he asked. Then he looked at his lap. "Oh, that. We made a fire and snuggled for a while, and eventually she fell asleep. I decided to wait for you guys to come back before going to bed, just in case, since Akito is tied up at the moment." He said, smiling slightly.

"Ok…" Toshiro frowned then, remembering his suspicions. "Kyo. You're not lying to us are you?"

The blonde sighed. "No, and I already went through this with Satomi, so I'd like to drop the subject. If you guys want, I will personally go into the records room and check. One of you can even come with me to be sure it's not a scam."

The two glanced at each other and then back to the blonde. "No, that's ok. Sorry…" Toshiro gave the blonde a sympathetic look. He looked down at his sister. She'd never looked so at peace. "Thanks…" he said, knowing he wouldn't have to go into more detail than that. He was just glad Satomi seemed happy, well happy for her.

"We're off to bed. Night." He waved, heading up the stairs with Minako close behind.

Kyo sighed and looked down at Satomi, a fond smile coming to his face. He was happy that they had talked earlier, and that he could now begin to show her his affections physically. Because he did like her, so much that it scared him a bit. No longer was he the carefree bachelor, sought after by most of the village women because of his charm and status. He had actually had to work at getting a woman to warm up to him, but it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. At least he knew that Satomi's feeling were genuine, and not a front just to get to his wealth. He shifted, causing the woman in his lap to let out a soft groan in protest. "Come on love, time for bed." He said, sliding from beneath her carefully. Then he bent over and gently lifted her into his arms so that he was holding her bridal style. She shifted a bit, but stayed asleep, leaning into him and resting her head on his shoulder. His smile only grew as he carried her up the steps and to their bedroom. Yes, things were only going to get better.


	36. Poison

**Magnetism **

_Chapter Thirty-Six_

-Poison-

Natsumi walked down the halls of the hospital, sighing. Finally the attacks on the Stone borders had stopped. Today was her last day helping the hospital and she was excited. Not that she didn't love to help people, but she missed Akito a lot, and since they had gotten married she'd never been away from him this long. Even if it wasn't for a whole day. She couldn't do anything with him because she was so tired and she felt like he was slipping back into his stoic fashion. And there was no way she would trade her loving husband in for an irritated Uchiha. Not to mention she hadn't had sex with him in _forever_, well five days, but that was forever for her. She didn't know why people thought they were sex addicts, the real reason why she liked to do it with him was because when they did, they were truly one being and something about that just made her so happy.

She stopped at the supply room and opened the door. It was pretty slow today and she had decided to go ahead and restock some of the necessary items the hospital needed. She flipped on the switch to the room and it was instantly lit with a dull yellow bulb. "That's comforting…" she said lowly, looking around the poorly illuminated room. "Whatever, not my hospital…Satomi can deal with it." She said to herself, pulling down a few boxes of gloves and setting them aside. Natsumi stopped and looked back to the door, Satomi was going to stay here. She couldn't help but feel sad. She stopped her thoughts. She was being selfish to think that she was allowed to run off wherever she wanted and expect Satomi to stay in Suna where she could always see her. Natsumi leaned against the wall and pursed her lips. She really did like Kyo and he seemed really good for Satomi, even if at first he had been a really annoying jerk, who told everyone about her and Akito. Oh well, that was all in the past now.

She continued the mundane task of pulling supplies down and setting them on a small table in the supply room. She looked around the room, trying to spot the syringes. They were running low in the emergency room and she thought she could bring some down to them. She glanced up and there on the top shelf was a box labeled 'Syringes'.

She walked over to the back shelf and reached up, just barely able to grasp onto the corners of the box. She growled, if only she were a little bit taller, than this would be _so_ much easier. She got up on her tip toes and got a somewhat better grip on the box. She shimmied it towards the edge and when it tilted, she smiled happily. She froze, hearing something roll off the box, a small vile rolled off the edge and fell towards the floor. Natsumi went wide eyed and dropped the box, trying to grab the vile before it hit the floor. Unfortunately, it smashed against the stone floor and the grey powder the was inside erupted into a cloud around her. She tried to shield her eyes, but already felt the burning effect from whatever this powder was. Then she started coughing, too late to hold her breath. Her coughing grew louder and she couldn't stop, until she felt her throat closing. _Oh my God!_, alarm shot through her. _Poison_, she thought as her vision began to go blurry as the dust cleared and began to dissipate. She had gotten almost the full dose. At least the rest of it wasn't enough to harm anyone else. She tried to move her hand to her face to heal her eyes, but when she tried to move her hand her leg moved and vice versa. Suddenly her legs gave out and she fell forward and hit the ground with a hard smack. She could feel the poison spreading slowly through her body. It hurt, her whole body burned and then everything went dark, unfortunately not because she fell unconscious.

* * *

Satomi walked down the halls checking Natsumi's normal rooms and then the break room and then the front. Where was she? She stopped a passing nurse, her eyes full of worry, "Tomo, have you seen my sister?"

The dark haired woman thought for a moment and then shook her head, "No Satomi-sama. Actually I haven't seen her for a few hours. Maybe she went home?" she shrugged and continued back down the hall, disappearing into a room to check on a patient.

The medic frowned, it was not likely that Natsumi would leave without her, no matter how badly she wanted to see Akito. She headed downstairs, towards the emergency center and stopped at the front desk. "Tanya." Satomi said sternly, not meaning to sound harsh but she was getting worried. "Have you seen my sister around lately? I can't seem to find her."

"Oh," the blonde looked up and smiled. "Yes, she went up to the supply room to get some things since we were running out…though now that I think about it she's been gone a really long time. Maybe check there?"

Satomi nodded and gave the woman a small thanks before hurrying back up the stairs and towards the supply room. It seemed odd that her princess of a sister would do such a thing as fetch supplies. But ever since she came back with the Uchiha she'd been doing more manual labor that didn't involve killing.

When the storage room came into her line of sight she picked up her pace. She grabbed the door knob and pulled it open, going wide eyed at the sight. "Natsumi!" she yelled, getting the attention of a few nurses who were working that hall. She looked back at them. "Get a bed _now_!" she ordered running into the room and pulling Natsumi into her arms. "Natsumi! Wake up!" she demanded, she grabbed her sister's face and examined it. There was blood coming from her eyes, which was a very bad sign, especially if she had been here long. Satomi felt her forehead, grimacing, she was clammy and frigid. Two nurses appeared in the doorway, running in then.

"What happened Satomi-sama?" one asked, helping the head medic with Natsumi and getting her onto the rolling bed that they had brought.

"I don't know." She said angrily, glaring at the woman. "Get her to the emergency room immediately." She ordered. They nodded and once the pink haired princess was secured they hurried her off with Satomi following after.

When they reached the ER, Satomi started barking orders. Natsumi was taken into a large room, one of the best equipped ones, and Satomi followed shortly. She took out some gloves and pulled them on, running her hands over her sister's body, trying to feel if anything was broken. Nothing seemed fractured or bruised but her muscles were hardening and her heart rate was soaring. There were no marks on her body, which only meant one thing. Poison.

"I need someone to send a message to Akito…" she said sharply, glancing at the group of medics who had joined her in the room.

"We will send someone immediately Satomi-sama." One nodded and left the room to send out a message.

* * *

There was a loud banging on the front door. Minako opened the door, the door and blinked, seeing one of the Iwa messengers. "Hello?"

"I have a message for Uchiha Akito."

Akito was there in an instant, having been walking through the house towards the kitchen to grab a snack. He was really excited that Natsumi was finally done with her hospital work and they could finally be together. He was thinking about taking her out on a date, maybe a picnic. That way he could cook everything for her, since she had expressed that she liked his cooking. And after that, he would give her a deep tissue massage, where he would pamper her to her heart's content. And after that, they would make sweet, sweet love. Yup, he had planned a perfect evening. Seeing the serious look on the messenger's face, he instantly became solemn. "What is it?" he asked, fearing the answer.

"Natsumi-sama has been poisoned."

His eyes widened slightly as he digested the news. "Take me to her. Now." He ordered.

Toshiro was next to Akito and grabbed his arm, disappearing in a swirl of sand. They were in the lobby of the hospital in the blink of an eye. Toshiro hurried ahead to the ER, getting past the front doors by telling them his status, after all he was a medic. Toshiro stopped dead in his tracks when he saw his sister kneeling on the ground in front of a room. She was hunched over, arms wrapped around her knees and it sounded like she was crying. "Satomi…" he frowned.

"Where's Natsumi? Is she okay?" Akito asked, his worry showing clearly on his face.

Satomi looked over slowly, her face devoid of all emotion. "Natsumi is going to die."

"What?" he yelled, startling a passing nurse. "She can't die. You're a medic, fix her." He said, slowly feeling his sanity begin to slip.

"It's not that simple Akito." She glared.

Toshiro pushed the door open and walked in, followed closely by Akito. There were three medics already in the room, monitoring the unconscious Natsumi. The room was much colder than the hallway, but Toshiro didn't seem to mind. Akito looked instantly at the frail form of his wife. She looked absolutely terrible. Her skin was pale and sickly looking, her hair was sprawled out on her pillow and it didn't seem as vibrant. Her arms lay motionless by her sides, she was hooked up to an IV and there were bandages wrapped around her head covering her eyes.

The medics looked over and the woman stepped forth shaking her head. "I'm sorry sir, but only family members can be in here right now. You'll have to leave."

"I'm her husband." Akito snapped, tearing his gaze from Natsumi and glaring hatefully at the nurse. She went wide eyed at the crimson sight and looked over to Toshiro for assurance. The red head glanced at Akito and then back to the nurse.

"He is."

She nodded slowly and went back to check on Natsumi's fluids. Toshiro looked back at Akito, he had probably just said that so he could stay in here and see Natsumi. He knew the Uchiha must be worried and the look on his face only confirmed his suspicions. "Tell me what we know so far." Toshiro ordered, holding his hand out as one of the other medics placed the chart in his hand.

"Well Toshiro-sama, her muscles are hardening and her body is freezing up. She has a fever. Satomi-sama deduced that it was poison. She had no marks on her body, but Satomi-sama herself tried removing the poison with water, heat, and other methods over and over. We have scanned her body multiple times and we cannot detect anything, so unfortunately the only thing we have on the poison is that it was a powder. But we combed through the storage room and there isn't a trace of it. The only _actual_ poison we could get was from the corner of her eye. But the sample isn't near big enough to study and analyze, so we couldn't make an antidote even if we wanted to. If we were to get anything from the sample, only a skilled medic specializing in poison would be able to do it." He said sadly, looking back at their patient.

Toshiro flipped through the pages, reading the reports done so far. "Toshiro-sama…I don't know if it was rumor or not." The woman began, looking nervous. "But I heard rumors about there being a medic in Suna that does specialize in poisons."

"There is." Toshiro said grimly. Akito felt a glimmer of hope spark in his heart until Toshiro finished. "It's Natsumi."

"Is there anything else that can be done for her that hasn't been already?" the young Uchiha asked, looking at the nurse.

Toshiro sighed, "The only person who would even come close to dealing with unknown poison is my mother. But even if the letter reached Suna in record time and she dropped everything to rush here, it would most likely be too late. Poison is a race against time, and without even knowing the origin of the poison there is no way to begin to treat it. Plus…I'm not exactly sure what would go down after Natsumi got better, seeing as she would find out we have all been in Iwa for the past two weeks and you're not dead." He stopped on one of the labs as his brow scrunched in confusion. "This…is this correct?" he asked, holding the chart out to one of the medics. The blonde took it and read over the report. "Oh yes…Satomi-sama ran this test herself. When Natsumi-sama was found she was bleeding from the eyes. Even if we were to counter the poison…she would be blind."

"Blind?" Akito asked, his gaze trained on the unconscious form of his love. She would be devastated when she found out.

The medic nodded, "Her eyes and mouth were the main entry points for the poison. It's very unfortunate…she suffered greatly from the pain."

Toshiro took the chart back and walked over to his sister's side, looking down at her pale face. He touched her hand gently, taking her hand in his. He froze, his posture tensing. "Everyone. Leave."

"Toshiro-sama?"

"Now!" he yelled, glaring at the three. They nodded and hurriedly left the room. After all, Toshiro was a medic and if something went wrong he would be in there. Once the three left, he lifted Natsumi's hand, turned it a bit, and looked at her ring finger. He eyed the band, glaring when he saw the Uchiha crest. "What the hell is this?" he demanded, making sure Akito could see the ring.

"It is my ring. I gave it to her months ago." He said, crossing her arms.

His glare only grew icier. "Why is it on her ring finger?"

"Why else would it be on her ring finger?" he asked sarcastically. Then he sighed. "We've been married for the past month and a half." He said.

He dropped Natsumi's lifeless hand and walked over to Akito, the standoff beginning. "You married my sister and you didn't even tell me?" He was pissed and surprisingly not because it was Natsumi who kept it from him, but Akito. He had thought they had at least connected a little bit.

His glare faltered a bit. "It's not like I didn't want to tell you, or even Minako, because I did. But Natsumi and I decided that it would be best we keep it to ourselves until things blew over." He wiped his hand down his neck in exasperation. "We weren't exactly sure how you would react about the news, so we decided to wait and see how things went. Because if we can prove that Konoha isn't behind the Council Member's murders, and make an alliance between the two villages, we were going to get married again, so that everyone could be there."

There was a long silence between the two. "Look…" Toshiro held up one of his hands as if brushing away the bad mood. "You can't keep things like that to yourself…especially…" he sighed, seeming to have trouble with the next words. "If we're family."

"Yeah…" Akito trailed off, finally realizing that he was in fact related to Toshiro and Satomi, and soon Kyo. "I'm new to this whole family thing, so…I'm sorry. You know, if I upset you or something…my father wasn't really the best example as to how family members should be treated, so I'm kind of learning as I go." He admitted.

Toshiro nodded, he knew the Uchiha line was severely messed up. But he decided to leave the matter alone. It would be a learning experience for everyone. He went back to Natsumi's side, his hands began to glow green and he pressed onto his sister's body. "Hm." He examined her face and pressed his fingers to her temples. "If we can heal her, I don't think she's going to thank us…or be happy."

"Why not?" he asked, confused.

"You heard the report. And my scans have confirmed it. She's absolutely blind. Not blurry blind, as in the only thing she will ever see again is darkness." He removed his hands then and walked back to Akito. "She might kill everyone in the room."

He sighed and looked from her to Toshiro. "Yeah, she isn't going to be happy when she wakes up and can't see. But…shouldn't you do it anyways? I mean, at least then she'll be alive, right?"

The redhead laughed. "I wouldn't stop even if she told me to herself. Though, usually poison rolls in lulls. She might wake up for a moment or so. The labs say she was conscious when the powder was eroding her body. Even if she only had five minutes to analyze the poison, she knows what it is. I'm going to need you to go get Satomi, and if she needs your help just suck it up and do whatever she asks. She may irritate you, but she's an amazing medic. If we're going to find out this poison, Satomi is the closest anyone will ever come."

He nodded and left the room, finding Satomi in the same spot she had been in when he arrived. "Satomi, Toshiro needs your assistance, and…if you need me to get you anything or help in any way, just tell me." Akito said, repeating the mantra that this was all for Natsumi's benefit in his head. Before she could answer, Kyo and Minako walked up. Seeing his fiancé on the ground, he was next to her immediately.

"Satomi, are you alright?" he asked, placing his hand on her back.

"My sister is going to die…and I can't do anything about it." She said, not even moving from her curled up position.

"That's not true honey. You're one of the best, smartest medics in the world. If anyone can save Natsumi, it's you." He said, trying to make her feel better. He had never seen her so broken. She finally looked up, tears were streaming down her face and she looked as if the world was ending.

"No I can't, I don't know anything about intricate poison, I studied complex surgeries and the brain. You don't understand how difficult poison is!" she yelled, only crying more as she buried her face in her hands. "I know Toshiro wants to help but there's nothing we can do. I've already tried everything!"

He pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her, wanting to comfort her in any way. "Maybe, you need to think outside the box for this…I'm not sure because I don't really know how medical things work, but anything is worth a try, right?"

"Toshiro said that if she wakes up again she should be able to tell us what poison is in her body, and you two could eradicate it. Even if she's blind for the rest of her life, at least she will be alive." Akito said, speaking up.

Minako gasped at the knowledge that Natsumi was blind, and put her hand over her mouth. Her heart went out to the entire family, and she prayed to whatever god was listening that everything turned out okay in the end.

Satomi frowned, moving her hands between herself and Kyo. She gripped his shirt tightly, needing some form of comfort. She felt so cold and lifeless…and _useless_. "I'm sorry," she apologized, but it wasn't to Kyo…it was to Akito.

Akito shook his head. "It isn't your fault, as long as you did your best, that's all I can really ask for. But…can you try Toshiro's idea? I won't push for anything else I swear, but…if she dies…" he couldn't even finish the sentence, the thought of Natsumi dying freaked him out so much. If she died, if he lost her, he was going to go crazy.

The elder twin pulled away from Kyo, the expression on her face looked contemplative and as if she were working something out in her head. She touched over Kyo's heart and started tracing something. Minako vaguely recalled the pattern she was tracing to be the circulatory system. She was in a bit of awe. These three siblings were simply amazing with their memory. She activated her byakugan, watching as Satomi's finger never left the trail of veins. "The messenger said she was poisoned by breathing it in, wouldn't you need to focus on the respiratory system?"

Satomi looked over at her, a bit distracted. "Well that's what I thought at first. Unless the poison was super absorbent and soaked into her blood stream. Which would explain why her muscles are tensing. The blood would carry the untraceable amount of poison throughout her body." She went wide eyed and stood abruptly. "I need to read." she said, making everyone get a confused look. "Kyo, please go in and help my brother. Do whatever he says." She told him, looking over at Akito and Minako. "And you two come with me." She looked back up at Kyo, a bit of hesitation in her action. She leaned up and placed a small kiss on his cheek. "Thank you…" she whispered, quickly pulling away and heading down the hall before he could see her small blush.

Akito and Minako followed Satomi and Kyo stood there for a minute, touching his cheek to make sure that he had been correct in what she had done to him. He smiled dumbly, and shook his head, snapping back to reality. He went into the room and looked at Toshiro. "Satomi went to go read, and she sent me in here to help you. So, what can I do to help?" he asked, clasping his hands together.

"I need you to go get the best medics you can. Her fever is rising and we need to keep her temperature at ninety eight. Get some cold water and some ice, along with some rags." He ordered, not even sparing the blonde a second glance. Kyo nodded and left the room, off to get what the redhead requested.

* * *

After stopping at one of the labs to review the sample of the poison, Satomi, Akito, and Minako walked into a room that looked similar to a library, books lining three walls. Satomi walked over to one of the shelves and began skimming the titles. She pulled a few down, tossing them onto one of the tables and continued the action until there was a large pile. "Alright." She turned towards them. "These are all the books on poison that Iwa has to offer. Since the poison was in Iwa, we can presume that it might be in one of these. I need you to help me comb though these until you find a poison that is dust, grey, causes fever, stiff muscles, constriction of lungs, loss of eye sight, and enlarged organs. Can you two do that?"

"Yes." Akito said with a nod, getting straight to work.

Minako nodded as well. "Of course." She picked up a nook, sat down, and began to read.

Satomi picked up one of the larger ones, skimming through it quickly. She flipped the page, an action she repeated for the next few hours. They had been reading for at least four hours now. Minako fell forward a bit, her eyes were so tired of reading. She officially decided she actually hated something in the world. Medical words. They were obscenely long and made absolutely no sense. She set the book down and rested her head on the paper. "My head hurts." She groaned.

Akito grimaced, he felt like his eyes were bleeding. But, he knew that what he was doing was for Natsumi, so he persevered and continued to read. "Just keep going." He said, turning the page in the medical text book he was reading. Minako slowly sat up, rubbed her eyes, shook her head, let out a sigh, and picked her book back up. She could do this. It was for her friend, and she always went above and beyond for her friends no matter what. Suddenly Akito stopped, reread the section he had just skimmed and stood. "I think I have something." He announced. Minako looked up from her book sharply, hoping against all hope they had actually found it this time. Anything they thought could be it they ran by Satomi, and she was the deciding factor on if it was a possibility or not. So far, they had had three miscalls.

Satomi got up, she didn't look excited, because she refused to get her hopes up. She had already gone through three times as many books as Akito and Minako, but for her they were a bit easier to read. But so far they had had no luck. She took the book from Akito and scanned over the page. "Which one?"

He pointed to a spot in the middle of the page. "This one. Iocane."

She sat down and looked over the description, it seemed close enough. Her brows furrowed together and she leaned forward, trailing her finger along the words. "Oh my god." She folded the corner of the page and set the book down still leaving it open and got up. She dug through the pile that she had already been through and finally pulled out one specific one. She went back to the table and flipped through her new book. "Ah hah!" she slammed the book down and ran her finger along the ingredients. "This…" she trailed off, tapping the page excitedly. "This could be it!" she compared the two. "No wonder I didn't see this one, it was missing a description, and it only had the ingredients." She actually smiled. "Akito, grab that one." She pointed to the book he had been reading and picked up her own. "I might be able to make an antidote out of this, but it will be difficult." She mumbled on, already leaving the room.

He grabbed the aforementioned book and hurried after her. Deciding to let them be, Minako went back to Natsumi's room in order to tell Toshiro and Kyo the news. Not wanting to just walk into the room, in case they were in the middle of something, she knocked lightly on the door. The door opened and Kyo peered out at her. "It's Minako," he called over his shoulder. After getting the ok, he allowed her in and shut the door behind her. Toshiro had changed from his normal attire, into some black scrubs. He was holding two ice cubes against her neck.

"Hello Minako. What's the news?" he asked without looking up from his task.

"We believe that we figured out what the poison is that's in Natsumi-chan. Iocane, I think was what it was. Satomi-chan and Akito-kun are making the antidote as we speak." She informed them. Then she looked at her unconscious friend. "How is she doing?" she asked, voice full of concern.

He sighed with relief, though he didn't think Minako understood just how difficult making an antidote was. "Her fever has been stabilized, but that could mean nothing. We've been keeping her cold, in hopes that she will somewhat gain some consciousness."

She nodded. "Do you need me to get you anything?" she asked, wanting to be of some assistance.

"No." he said simply, he glanced up at the two and then back down. "Actually, you guys are kind of crowding the room. I'm sorry but I'll have to ask you to leave. But could you get me something to eat, I'm starving and I'm sure Satomi could use some as well."

"We'll get on that." Kyo said, ushering Minako out of the room. They split up then, each going to get one of the medics something to eat.

* * *

"What do I need to do?" Akito asked, looking around the room curiously.

Satomi tensed, looking over at him. Did he have to ask that every five minutes? "I need you to be quiet." She said, trying not to sound annoyed. She'd been measuring out the proper ingredients, following the book carefully. But it was difficult, antidotes were much more difficult than poisons. Unfortunately, she wasn't making much progress. She had already attempted one but it was a failure and now was on her second attempt and it didn't seem to be taking well.

Kyo entered the room then, carrying a deli sandwich he had picked up from one of the street vendors close to the hospital. "Here honey, I got you something to eat. You're going to need your strength." He said, setting the food down on an empty table.

She straightened and gave him a grateful look. "Thanks," she said, picking up the sandwich and taking a bit. "I'm really hungry and this is really starting to agitate me. I don't know if I'm even doing it right." She sighed. She didn't want to mention just how much she had hated antidotes and poisons when she was learning from her mother and had let her mind wander. Damn, she really wished she had paid attention now.

Kyo just gave her an encouraging smile. "Well, if anyone can figure it out, you can, I just know it." He looked over at the pacing Uchiha then and frowned. "Akito, let's go train." He said. This caused the dark haired man to pause in his actions.

"What kind of stupid idea is that? I can't go train, not when I might be needed, or Natsumi might wake up or-"

"Will you just shut up and come on? You're just getting in the way and on Satomi's nerves. Why don't we let her and Toshiro handle this on their own? If they need us or anything changes, they can send Minako to get us, since I know she won't be leaving anytime soon." The blonde explained.

Akito nodded. It would be good to take his mind off this right now anyways, since he was pretty close to snapping. "Fine, but only for a little while." He said, heading out of the room. Kyo looked at Satomi and smiled slightly.

"Better?" he asked. She nodded and gave him a small wave before turning back to her work.

The two left then, to try and take their minds off the situation. Besides, it's not like worrying would make everything go away, or help anything. They would just have to put their hopes in the two medics.


	37. Antidote

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Thirty-Seven_

-Antidote-

Akito and Kyo sat at a sushi stand, a bottle of sake sitting in front of them. They both sighed, their training and spar had lasted a good two hours and it had definitely had taken the edge of both off them. They both turned at the sound of pounding feet to see a young woman in a Jounin vest. She was gasping and trying to catch her breath. "I've been looking all over for you two! Toshiro-sama sent me to get you, Natsumi-sama is taking a turn for the worst and Minako-san says Satomi-sama has gone crazy!"

"What?" they both exclaimed, jumping up from their seats and running to the hospital. They split up once entering the doors, Kyo going to find Satomi, and Akito to Natsumi's hospital room. Without knocking, he opened the door. "What's happening?" he asked, looking around the room frantically.

"She's stopped breathing Uchiha-sama." One of the medics explained. Toshiro actually looked panicked as he felt around his sister's rib cage. Her lungs had stopped but her chest was filling with air. "Give me a scalpel." He ordered, holding out his hand. The instrument was immediately placed in his hand. He ripped up the hospital gown, placing the sharp tool right above her diaphragm and made a small incision. He closed his hands tightly around the hole and pressed down letting the air out quickly. When he felt her lungs jolt back to life he quickly healed the wound, thanking God that Satomi had had Natsumi dressed in her underwear. Despite the situation he would have been a bit embarrassed to see his sister's fully grown body.

Suddenly Natsumi gasped for air, her whole body jerking from the sudden movement she was allowed. "Natsumi!" Toshiro gasped, moving to her face and cupping her cheeks forcefully. "Natsumi, can you speak? Are you ok?" he asked hurriedly.

"T-Toshiro?" she stuttered, turning her head slowly in the direction of his voice, she still couldn't move her body from the stiffness her muscles had taken on.

Akito was by her other side in an instant. "Baby, it's me. How are you feeling?" he asked worriedly. He had thought he was going to lose her for a minute there.

She turned her head to the other side, "Akito," she said breathlessly, she was obviously in a lot of pain. Toshiro took her left hand with his right and laced his fingers with hers, running his free hand through her hair. "Poison." She barely got out.

"I know, I know. But Natsumi, Satomi can't make an antidote. Is the poison Iocane?"

"…Yes…" she said weakly, they could both feel her slipping back into unconsciousness.

"No Natsumi please stay awake for a little longer. We need to know what the key ingredient for the antidote is and when to administer it to the concoction and how much. Can you tell me that?" Toshiro begged, trying to keep his sister conscious by giving her a small shake.

She nodded slowly, "M…Magnesium…hy…hydroxide…" she said slowly fading. "If…if you mix the rest together until it's one liquid…then you add the magnesium hydroxide…stir for five minutes without stopping...and then…" she stopped, no longer moving.

"Please! Natsumi!" Toshiro yelled.

A frown formed on her face. "You…guys are so useless…" she laughed but it sounded strained. "It has to sit…over a flame for forty three minutes…at the precise temperature of four hundred and eighty six kelvin…cap it and take it off the burner. Then sit it in a refrigerator for seven minutes…then it will be ready. It…it must be injected directly into my vein in the crevice of my arm…"

She fell silent then, a cold sweat washing over her. Toshiro grimaced. "No, no! Natsumi wake up!"

"I'm going to go tell Satomi about the antidote." Akito said, running from the room.

* * *

Kyo ran down the hallway until he reached the room he had last seen Satomi in. He threw the door open and took in the scene before him.

Another glass beaker flew at the wall and exploded into shards. "AHH!" Satomi screamed at the top of her lungs, pulling her fist back and slamming it into the wall. A huge chunk fell down, creating a hole between the two labs. The doctors in the other went wide eyed and hurried out of the lab. Satomi shrieked again, pulling on her now undone hair. "Why can't I get this right?" she picked up a chair and threw it out the window, shattering the glass pane. She sunk to the floor slowly and began pounding her fist into the ground until her knuckles were covered in blood. Kyo's eyes widened and he ran forward.

"Satomi, stop!" he said, falling to the floor next to her and grabbing her bloody fists. "You're hurting yourself honey." He said, examining her knuckles. It was killing him to see her so frustrated and not be able to help her in any way.

"Good," she sobbed out. She could slowly feel what little sanity she had left slipping. "I can't do it. I don't know how and I'm missing something but I don't know what it is. I need a base but I don't have time to search through those damn medical books again!" she cried, burying her face in her bloody hands.

He wrapped his arms around her and began to rub her arms in an attempt to comfort her. Being an only child, he didn't really know exactly what she was going through, and could only compare it to when he had lost his one and only cousin. They had been like brothers, and the entire ordeal had been the most traumatic experience he had ever gone through, and he didn't want that for her. "But you're still trying your best, and that's what really counts." He said, pulling her closer to himself.

"It doesn't matter! Not unless I can save her! She's my little sister. I have to take care of her." She trembled, her whole body wracking with sobs. She'd never felt so powerless and useless before. She grabbed onto his shirt and buried her face in the cloth, only to continue her crying. "Big sisters are supposed to take care of their little sisters."

He continued to rub her back, and soon afterwards, Akito ran through the door. "She woke up!" he said, causing the couple to look up at him from their spot on the floor.

"What?" Satomi gasped, going wide eyed.

Akito nodded. "She passed out again, but we were right, it's Iocane in her system. She said you need magnesium hydroxide. You have to mix the ingredients together until it is one liquid, and then add the magnesium hydroxide. Stir for five minutes without stopping, and then burn it over a fire at precisely four hundred and eighty six Kelvin for forty three minutes. Cap it and take it off the burner, and put it in the fridge for seven minutes. After that it's done, and then it must be injected directly into the vein at the crevice of her elbow." He recited.

Satomi just stared at him, "That's…oddly specific."

He shrugged. "I'm just repeating what I heard. I can stay in here with you and recite it again to help while you make it." He offered, wanting to get started on it as soon as possible.

She got up quickly, heading towards the cabinet that held most of the chemicals. She dug through it quickly, finding what she was looking for. "Ok," she said, stopping back at her station. She started making the antidote once more, measuring the contents carefully. It only took twenty minutes to finish since she had already made it this far so many times. She glanced back at the Uchiha as she finished stirring the liquid. "What next?"

"Add the magnesium hydroxide and stir constantly for five minutes." He said, moving to start the fire so that it could get to be the right temperature when they needed to burn the antidote.

"Kyo, I can't add it and stir at the same time. So add just about half a vile while I stir alright?" she told him, he nodded and measured out the proper amount. He needed to be very careful and so slowly he poured it into the mixture. It turned to a milky white then and after she had stirred it for five minutes they set it upon the blaze and waited patiently. "I hope this works…" she mumbled, chewing nervously on her lower lip. Kyo placed his hands on her shoulders and began to massage them, wanting to relieve some of her tension.

"It has to." Akito said in a pained whisper. They all stood and watched the mixture burn, each eagerly awaiting when it would be done. Because the sooner it was done the sooner Natsumi would be fixed.

The second the mixture was on for forty three minutes, Satomi took some tongs and removed it from the heat. She placed a cap over the top and rushed towards the cooled unit in the room. She placed it inside on one of the racks and sat in front of the small fridge. "Just seven more minutes." She whispered to herself. Kyo and Akito stood behind her, side by side. The wait was literally killing them. Satomi kept her eyes on the clock and when the second hand touched the twelve after the sixth minute she opened the door and pulled out the vile. It was pearl in color and a bit thick for a liquid. The elder twin dug around for a syringe and when she found one, pulled off the cover and popped the cap off. She stuck the needle in the mix and filled it to the brim. She replaced the needle cover and looked back at them excitedly, actually smiling. "It's ready."

They hurried down the halls, bursting into the room when they reached it. Toshiro looked up and gestured Satomi over. Kyo and Akito joined Minako in the back of the room, Toshiro cleaned the area quickly and carefully Satomi slid the needle in, injecting the serum.

After all the contents were drained, she disposed of the syringe properly and returned to her sister's side. Slowly, but surely, the clammy look to Natsumi's skin began to fade and was replaced by her natural soft cream color. She already looked much better and it was obvious the antidote was working quickly. "Oh thank god." Satomi breathed out, resting her forehead on her sister's stomach.

Toshiro began to scan her body, smiling even more. "It's definitely working, her muscles are loosening and her heart rate has returned to normal."

Akito stood frozen in the back of the room, his eyes fixed on Natsumi. They had done it. She was going to live. He walked over to Satomi, who straightened at his presence. Somewhat awkwardly, he hugged her, not knowing how else to express his gratitude. "Thank you." He whispered, trying to get a reign on his chaotic emotions. She blinked, giving him an awkward pat on the back.

"Um…I didn't do it just for you." She said truthfully, pulling out of his grasp. They stared at each other for a moment and she gave him a small smile. It disappeared just as it came and her normal bored expression replaced it. "But let's not make a habit of this Uchiha…you know the whole…touching thing." She said simply, a smirk tugging at her lips.

He smirked. "You should be grateful you know. I don't usually touch people, so what you just got was like a gift from heaven." He turned and nodded at Toshiro, silently thanking the redhead. Because there was no way he was going to hug a man. No way in hell. Satomi just rolled her eyes, remembering why she disliked the Uchiha. Toshiro gave him a nod as well.

"She won't wake up for a while, but she's stable. Her body is returning to normal. She's just got to get it all out of her system." He explained, yawning. "I'm exhausted." He sighed, scratching head.

"You and Satomi-chan should rest." Minako said. "We'll come get you if anything changes."

Both siblings gave them a skeptical look. "No offense," they said together.

"But I would much rather have a medic watch over her." Satomi said.

Toshiro agreed, "And I guess you are new to the whole hospital scene, but it's not good to crowd the rooms. So…if anyone is going to stay it should be Akito. And _only_ Akito." Minako nodded, understanding. She left the room, intent on going straight to bed for a while. All that reading and running and worrying just wore her out. Kyo followed, looking back at Satomi before leaving the room. He leaned against the opposite wall, waiting for her to exit so that they could walk back to the house together. He wanted to make sure that she was okay, since she had just been through such an exhausting event, and it wasn't even completely over yet.

Satomi left the room and joined Kyo, walking home with him in silence. Toshiro glanced back at Natsumi and then to Akito. "Take care of her while we're gone." He said, disappearing in a swirl of sand. He was very tired and had used up most of his chakra, but at least Natsumi was safe and well.

Once he had the room to himself, Akito walked over and pulled a chair up next to the bed. He gently grabbed one of Natsumi's hands in his and placed his head on the bed next to her. "You scared me so badly sweetheart. I thought I was going to lose you." He mumbled into the sheets, closing his eyes. It wasn't healthy for him to feel all of these foreign emotions. They ate up all his energy and left him feeling weary. He sighed, and drifted off to sleep, thanking the gods that she was alright.


	38. Sightless

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Thirty-Eight_

-Sightless-

It had been three days and Natsumi still hadn't woken up. She wasn't in a coma, but it still felt like her recuperating was taking too long. "When is she going to wake up?" Akito asked, resting his chin on his propped up elbow. He stared at his wife from the chair he hadn't left since he knew she was alright, other than to shower of course.

"Well I've cleansed her body at least three times. There is nothing harmful left, but the whole experience did tire her out." Satomi explained, leaning against the opposite wall. Toshiro sighed, keeping silent in his own seat. He had to admit he was worried, but she showed no signs of not waking up. Minako sat on the arm of the chair Toshiro was in and was currently running her fingers through his red locks in an attempt to soothe him. She knew he wasn't comfortable with the progress Natsumi had made, but was keeping it to himself.

Kyo came through the door then, holding two large paper bags. "I brought breakfast!" he declared with a smile.

"Thanks I'm starving." Satomi said, walking up to him and taking an offered cup of orange juice. She walked back to her sister, setting the cup down and began to unwrap the bandages around her eyes. She placed them aside and traced around her closed eyes, a soft green light emitting from the tips of her fingers.

"How are her eyes?" the blonde asked, handing out breakfast sandwiches to everyone.

She shook her head, "Not good. Everything is healed but the nerves were eaten away. I might be able to restore her sight but…it would be extremely difficult. Nerves are hard to reform."

"I have faith in you." He said, handing her her sandwich and taking a bite of his own.

Natsumi stirred for the first time in three days and let out a low groan. Akito was up instantly, taking her hand in his. "Honey, can you hear me?" he asked, stroking the back of her hand.

She turned her head towards Akito, a smile forming on her face. "Akito," she whispered, tightening her grip on his hand. She opened her eyes and stared up at him, but they were much more faded than their normal pale jade. Her smile disappeared quickly as she sat up. She lifted her hand to her face. "Am I wearing a blind fold?" she asked, no one answered. She pressed her fingers against the face and slowly felt around her eyes. She pulled her hand from Akito's grip and felt around her head. "Oh my God…oh my God!" she started hyperventilating.

"Baby, calm down." He said, placing his hand on her shoulder.

She smacked his hand away, rejecting his touch. "What happened to my eyes?" she shouted, everyone could feel the sand swirling in the air as her grains moved towards their distressed mistress.

"Well, you got some of the poison on your eyes and the nerves are damaged…" Akito began, not sure how to finish explaining it to her.

"But the good news is Satomi may be able to heal them!" Kyo said perkily, trying to diffuse the situation.

Natsumi just screamed at the top of her lungs grabbing her head and trying to not let her fury take over her body. Toshiro pushed Minako behind him, keeping a grip on her hand in case he needed to make a quick exit. "Natsumi please calm down. I know you understand the slim chances, but Satomi is an excellent surgeon."

"GET OUT!" she screeched, her sand swirling around her as she brought her knees to her chest, trying to control her rage. "NOW!"

Toshiro pulled Minako quickly with him towards the door, "We need to leave." He said to them all. Satomi backed up quickly, shielding her face from the aggressive sand. Kyo grabbed onto Satomi and led her from the room, covering her body with his own so that she wouldn't get hurt. Akito hesitated, not wanting to leave her.

"Natsumi…"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" she snapped, starting to pull on her hair. The sand formed between them, moving around her in a protective manner.

A hurt look came to his face, and he backed out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Everyone was still standing in the hallway, and as Minako moved to place her hand on his shoulder to try and comfort him, he vanished in a puff of smoke, not wanting any of their pity.

Satomi frowned and pulled away from Kyo, heading down the hall to start reading on ocular surgery. She would have to make sure nothing went wrong because if anything did, Natsumi might die. Kyo followed after her, not wanting to leave her alone with herself. Toshiro looked down at Minako and sighed. "I told him this would happen."

She looked up at him and sighed. "It doesn't matter. With Natsumi-chan, Akito-kun feels things he never used to, even hope."

"Hope?" he arched a curious brow.

She nodded. "He was hoping she would get better, and then he was probably hoping you were wrong, and that even if she did get upset, she wouldn't force him out of the room." Then she shrugged. "But oh well, I'm sure they'll work things out like always. They just need some time."

"Well…I _hope_ you're right. But…I don't think this will blow over as easily. My sister…is very reliant on her sight…this will probably destroy her. But…" he sighed, leading her down the hall to the exit. "I'm sure you're right." He said, trying to hide his doubt.

* * *

Toshiro pushed open the door to Akito and Natsumi's room. It had been two days and Natsumi had refused to see anyone, not even Akito. Satomi had been cooped up in the hospital's library studying. The redhead looked around the room, seeing it was empty. He walked towards the balcony and pushed the glass door open. He went onto the perch and glanced down at Akito, who was sitting in a chair, staring out at the village, unmoving. "How are you doing?"

"How do you think I'm doing? My wife, the woman I love, is blind and doesn't want to see me." He said tersely, his gaze remaining on the village.

"Well, technically, even if she wanted to see you she couldn't." he pointed out. Akito remained silent, but slowly his eyes moved until they were glaring hatefully at the redhead. Toshiro held up his hands in defense. "Ok, ok. Sorry, too soon."

"Toshiro-sama!" someone called from the ground. The red head glanced over the railing and saw one of Iwa's messenger's.

"What?"

"Natsumi-sama is gone!"

Akito shot to his feet and looked down at the man. "What? Where could she go? She can't see anything!"

The man paled, not having seen the Uchiha until he was up. "U-u-um…U-Uchiha-sama…I don't kn-know, she was just gone. We were watching her room at all times. I swear." He said, sounding panicked. Toshiro couldn't help but snicker.

"Akito you're scaring the man, besides if you must know where she is, she's outside the village, near the mountains." He said simply, pointing off towards the north. Akito looked at the redhead and nodded.

"Thanks." Then he looked over the rail and pointed at the man. "If anything has happened to her, I'm coming after you." He threatened, quickly summoning Kei, hopping onto the hawk's back and flying off.

* * *

Natsumi sat in the middle of a field of flowers, she had managed to find her clothes in her hospital room and was now dressed in her black shorts and her small black long sleeved shirt. She ran her hands along the soft grass, a grimace set on her face. She saw nothing but darkness. It was almost cruel that she could feel the heat of the sun on her skin, but nothing seemed to break through the barrier.

She closed her eyes but it made no difference. She felt tears running down her face then. This was worse than being dead, she felt completely useless. Her life as a ninja was over. She ran a hand through her hair and gripped it tightly, trying to grasp onto her sanity. She could no longer be an assassin, she couldn't protect Akito, she would be a hindrance. The most lethal woman in the ninja world had been quickly reduced to a civilian.

Her whole body tensed when she felt a disturbance in her floating sand. "I told you to leave me alone." She said solemnly, not moving from her curled up position.

"I'm not going to leave you out in the open alone." Akito said, hopping off Kei and walking towards her.

She placed her hands on the ground and stood glaring directly at him. Just because she was now blind didn't mean she couldn't feel him and lately she'd been using her sand to 'see'. So she filled the area around her with the particles so that it was just like air. "I don't need anyone to protect me!" she yelled, "I'm not useless!"

"I don't think you are useless! But you scared the hell out of me when someone told me you had disappeared. You can't get mad at me for worrying about you, Natsumi." He said, stopping in case she didn't want him near.

"I can and I will!" she snapped, her hands forming into fists. "I don't need to be worried about, I don't need someone to watch me, I'm blind not paralyzed." She had to take a deep reassuring breath. It was hard not to portray her emotions and how she felt she was lying. She could at least defend herself if someone came after her, but her mind worked tactically and if she couldn't see she couldn't plan ahead.

"Honey, I almost lost you three days ago, I won't risk losing you again!" he yelled, his worry and emotions bursting forth. "You are my world, my entire universe, and I could see it all withering away as you lay there on that hospital bed. And there was nothing I could do about it, except rely on your siblings to save you. I'm just glad that you're alive."

She stopped, her tense stance loosening. "You don't understand how I feel right now…"

"Then help me understand. I want to be there for you, I'm supposed to be there for you as your husband, but I can't if you won't let me." He said, taking a step closer.

She sighed, looking deep in thought. "Ok fine. Think about it like this, I guess the only way I can explain it is if you tried to imagine fighting me before without your sharingan. Like…I'm moving slower than everyone which is not something I'm used to. My brain is programmed to analyze a situation and devise a way to take down my opponent. It's how I think about everything, even if I didn't want to. Do you know how hard that is to do when you can't see?"

He paused and thought about it from that perspective. It would have been extremely difficult to fight her that first time without his sharingan. He most likely would have come out of that fight even more injured or possibly dead had he not had it. "I kind of understand what you mean now, but…we could always retire somewhere after the investigation. We could go back to Kika Island." He suggested, knowing he was blindly reaching for a solution.

"It doesn't matter where we go! I'll still be blind! I can't go after some tiny lead in some country I might have never been before. And what if it's Mist Akito? I am a liability now! You might as well just leave me here or send me back to Suna so I can rot out my days doing nothing of significance!" she yelled, her fury returning. She yelled out in agony and buried her face in her hands. She hated this! "I'm not the woman you love anymore." She cried.

He went over to her and pulled her into her arms. "You will always and forever be the woman I love Natsumi. The fact that you can't see will never change that." He said, cupping her cheek.

"Please," she scoffed, trying to break from his hold but her attempt was weak. "I can't fight anymore. You can't tell me without lying, that you would have fallen for me had I not had the physical dexterity I did. It was what caught your interest in the first place."

He frowned. "No, what caught my interest in the first place was the most interesting girl I had ever met, who liked me before learning I was an Uchiha and didn't run away when first being introduced to my father. What kept my interest was how beautiful you became. Your fighting ability did have a factor in my interest, but now that I know you and we are married, I'm always interested." He told her, running his thumb along her jaw.

"Of course I didn't run away from your dad, I was six years old and my dad is Sabaku no Gaara…that and…" she paused, looking down out of habit. "I thought that someone who was so mean was unhappy and at the time I had vowed to make your dad smile or something stupid like that." She sighed, trying to resist his touch. There was just no way he was really accepting her as worthless as she was right now.

He tilted her face up towards his and smiled at her, even though he knew she couldn't see it. "I have never seen my father smile. But, you make me smile, and that is an accomplishment all in its own. I love you, Uchiha Natsumi, in sickness and in health, as long as we both shall live. Would I be the man you fell in love with if I ran away from a situation I didn't like?"

"Maybe." She pondered. She lifted her hands up slowly and felt his face to see if he really was smiling. When she felt the incline of his face, her own mimicked his action. She could see it in her mind, his smile, but knew her memory was not doing it justice. He brought his hand up and placed it over hers, rubbing his cheek against her palm in a sign of affection.

"You are so beautiful." He murmured, kissing her palm.

"I wish I could see you one last time…" she frowned. Why had this happened to her? Did karma truly exist out there? After she had spent nearly a week away from her husband, she was poisoned and lost her sight, and now she would never ever get to see his face again. See his emotions which he so rarely showed. She felt herself begin to cry again, it just wasn't fair.

"Honey, don't cry." He said, wiping away her tears with his thumbs. "There is still a chance you will be able to see again. Satomi has been pouring over medical text books ever since you woke up. And I've heard enough about her abilities to know that if anyone can bring back your sight, it's her."

The flow of tears stopped, but the sadness did not lift from her face. "Akito you don't understand…that kind of surgery is extremely risky. If she and Toshiro make even the slightest mistake, I could die."

He froze. Neither of them had said that, probably because they didn't want him to freak out. "Well, Kyo seems to believe that they can do it, but, if you don't want to try, I will stand by you the entire way." He said, resting his forehead against hers.

"What do you want me to do?" she asked hesitantly. He faltered. He wanted her to go through with the surgery so that she could see again because she _would_ be a liability during the investigation. But he also didn't want her to do it because of the risk. So he chose the best answer he could think of.

"I want you to do whatever will make you happy."

"Ok. But what do you _really_ want me to do." She glared. She could sense his hesitation in answering her. But she needed to know.

He sighed. "I want you to try the surgery. After the last few days of being around Satomi and Toshiro at the hospital, I believe they can do it. After all, you learned from one of the best medics in the world, who surpassed her teacher at an early age. And…_if_ they do mess up, it won't be long before I join you in death."

She felt her heart stop. "Akito…you can't stop living just because I die."

"You are my life Natsumi. There's no point in living if you're not in it." He said, voice full of conviction.

He could see the tears swelling in her eyes once more. She just couldn't seem to keep them back. "I love you Akito."

"And I you, my dearest Princess." He kissed her tenderly then, stroking her cheeks with his thumbs.

She smiled against his lips and leaned into his embrace. "Ok…I will try." She said softly.

"Would you like to go back now, or do you want to wait a while?" he asked, running his fingers through her hair.

"No," she shook her head. "The longer I wait the more reluctant I am to do it. We should go back now."

"Alright." They stood then, and he picked her up in his arms, carrying her bridal style. He walked over to Kei, who had been enjoying himself in the beautiful field of flowers. Akito jumped onto the bird's back, and held Natsumi closer to him so she would feel safe. "Take us to the hospital Kei, and fly carefully." He ordered. The bird nodded and took to the sky, doing as he was told. They landed not ten minutes later, and Akito proceeded to carry Natsumi into the hospital and towards her room.

The nurses and medical staff stared in awe. The youngest Sabaku had been very difficult the past few days, and it was obvious that her husband really was the only one who could tame her. He kicked open the door and carried her to her bed, laying her down gently. "Do you want me to stay, or get Satomi?" he asked, stroking her cheek.

"You can do whatever you want. You're my husband. Basically anything you say goes." she pointed out laying her head down. It was odd, not being able to see anything and it was beginning to be very difficult to tell what Akito really wanted, since he did not allow his emotions to show in his voice.

"Then I will stay with you, I'm sure one of the nurses will tell her anyways." He said, sitting on the side of her bed. "You know, I actually hugged Satomi. It was weird." He said, grimacing slightly at the memory.

Natsumi looked over to where he was sitting, "You what?"

"Yeah, after not knowing whether you were going to live or die, and then when she saved you, I thanked her, and hugged her. Emotions just aren't healthy for me I don't think, I do strange things when I feel too much at one time." He admitted.

She laughed, shaking her head. "No…if you didn't feel emotions then you wouldn't show me your love. And your love is the most amazing thing anyone has ever given me." She reached around, searching for his hand. He quickly took it so she no longer had to feel for him and held it tightly. "And it makes me happy…that you were scared…I know that you care…but…you know." She smiled sheepishly, shutting her eyes so she could rest.

He smiled. "I do." He said, kissing her forehead and moving to sit in the chair next to the bed so that she had plenty of room.

It wasn't much later that Satomi walked in looking surprised. "Natsumi, where did you go? Are you ok?" she asked, rushing to her sister's side.

The younger twin sighed and turned her head towards Akito. "I'm fine Satomi."

"What were you thinking?" she demanded. "You could have gotten hurt!"

Natsumi grimaced, her grip on the sheets tightening. "She was with me Satomi. It's fine." Akito said, knowing that the conversation was upsetting his wife.

"Still." She huffed, crossing her arms. "You shouldn't up and leave in your condition. You never know what could have happened." She scolded, as if she were speaking to a child. Natsumi just stared vacantly at the wall, only seeing darkness. Just how useless she was now was really sinking in, like she needed to be taken care of. Akito gave Satomi a silencing look, shaking his head a bit in order to signal for her to stop.

She looked at Akito, returning his look with one of confusion. "What?"

He stood, walked over to her, and pulled her aside, causing her look of confusion to grow. "She's sensitive about it. I _just_ got her to calm down." He whispered in her ear.

"Oh," she glanced back, a small frown forming on her face. "Well…does she want to do the surgery?"

"Yes, but the longer we wait the more apprehensive she is about it." He said.

She nodded and sighed, "Well…I've been reading and I know how to do it and I know I _can_ do it…in theory. It'll take at least five hours though…"

"We decided to give it a shot. And as hard as it is for me, I trust you, and believe that you and Toshiro can do it." He told her.

"Alright," she breathed out, giving him a sincere look. "We'll start tomorrow morning. I need a good night's rest if I'm going to be in top form."

He nodded. "I'm going to stay here tonight, if that's okay. You know…spend some time with her." He was kind of embarrassed that he was showing so much emotion around Satomi, since part of him still didn't like her that much, but she had saved Natsumi's life, and was now his sister, even though she didn't know it yet.

She crossed her arms and gave him a look, "It's not proper protocol for someone not related to the patient to stay the night. But…" she trailed off, he thought she was going to make an exception, but the next words that came from her mouth only set him on edge. "That wouldn't apply to you now…would it?" she asked, arching a delicate brow.

"How did you know?"

Satomi rolled her eyes, "I'm not stupid Akito, and I was treating her for days. I saw the ring. That…and Toshiro told me."

"Stupid idiot can't keep his mouth shut." Akito mumbled, frowning. Then he looked back up at her. "We were going to tell you eventually, but…you know…things happened." He said, scratching the back of his head.

"Whatever you say." She said heading for the door. "And try to control yourself Uchiha. I heard about you and Natsumi's little role play."

Natsumi turned a dark red and huffed. "Stupid Kyo and his big mouth."

"Am I the only male who can keep his mouth shut?" Akito asked, not really expecting an answer.

Satomi stopped at the door and glanced back at him, "Well then, I suppose that's why they are your friends. Opposites do attract after all." She looked back at her sister and then to him. "Look at your wife for instance. She is excited and happy, while you are silent and depressed. You are calm, she is fiery. Need I go on? It's the same with friends." She turned to leave once more. "Good night. See you in the morning Sumi." She waved and shut the door behind her.

He sighed and sat back down on the bed. "Is there room in that bed for me, or shall I sleep in the chair?" he asked, rubbing her leg. "It's fine if not, since that's where I slept while you were unconscious."

"No, no!" she said, sounding a bit desperate. She moved to the side of the bed, stopping when she felt the edge. "Please don't leave me alone in the dark." She said sadly, holding the blanket up for him. He crawled in next to her, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her up against him.

"I will never leave you in the dark." He said, kissing her neck. She nuzzled into him, gripping his shirt tightly. She missed his hold so much.

"I'm sorry I told you to go away." She whispered, burying her face in his chest as she snuggled closer. He stroked her head.

"It's okay, I probably would have freaked out the same way. If you think about it, I rely on my sight as much, if not more than you do, since I have the sharingan." He said. She just laughed and nodded. She breathed in his scent and relaxed. She would finally sleep for the first time since she came out of her coma.

"Goodnight Mr. Uchiha."

"Goodnight Mrs. Uchiha."


	39. Suspicion

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Thirty-Nine_

-Suspicion-

Akito paced the waiting room in the hospital, just as he had been doing for the past three hours. Minako sat in a chair reading a book, and Kyo had a huge box of crayons and a coloring book of animals, and was coloring pictures for Natsumi, so that she had pretty things to look at when she woke up. "You know, I never really thought about it before now, but why would there be a vial of poison in a storage room? We keep those separate, and better contained than that." The blonde observed, looking through his assortment of colors to find the perfect shade of pink.

Akito halted and looked at the floor, where Kyo had sprawled out. "You're right, that is odd."

"Do you think someone set Natsumi-chan up?" Minako asked, glancing up from her book.

"It's possible. You two have many enemies, and it's no secret to anyone in our village that you're here." Kyo pointed out. Akito nodded.

"True. We'll have to investigate this matter further once Natsumi and them are done, so we can ask her about the incident." He tilted his head to the side in confusion. "What is that supposed to be?" he asked.

The blonde looked up and smiled. "It's a drawing of you, me, Satomi and Natsumi, since we're all going to be family soon." He said. The young Uchiha's eyes widened. So Kyo knew about him and Natsumi as well. His eyes shot towards Minako, who just smiled.

"It's okay Akito-kun, I already knew." She said.

"How?"

"Kyo told me." She resumed reading her book then, and turned the page. Akito just glared at the other man, who shrugged.

"What? I heard everything that happened that night in the hospital. And I mean _everything_. Besides, Minako and I are like BFF's now. And BFF's don't keep secrets."

He sighed. There were just no secrets in this family, were there? "Look, Minako, I know I should have told you, but-"

"It's fine Akito-kun. I'm just happy you found your special someone." She told him, turning a page.

He nodded, and looked back down at the picture. "Dude, you suck a drawing."

"Hey! This is just a rough sketch, okay? I am a phenomenal artist." Kyo huffed, turning so that Akito wouldn't be able to see his picture. It was then a nurse walked in, and immediately everyone's inquisitive eyes were on her.

"I'm not part of the surgery, sorry. Just passing through." She said, smiling apologetically before leaving. They knew that everyone who had originally entered the surgery room wouldn't leave until it was over, it was just so suspenseful waiting out here with no news of how things were going. Akito sighed and resumed pacing.

"This is killing me." He said, crossing his arms.

"You could always color with me. There's plenty of crayons." Kyo offered. Akito stopped walking and looked at the box with slight disgust. "Fine, I don't want your negativity over here anyways." Then Kyo let out a startled scream as Akito tackled him, initiating a wrestling match.

"I am not negative!" he declared, trying to get a good hold on the blonde so that he could strangle him.

"Yes you are! You're like the king of negativity, you negative, depressing Uchiha!" Kyo yelled, rolling so that he was on top. Both men's ears were grabbed then, causing them to let out pained noises as they were yanked apart.

"Will you two knock it off? We are here to support Natsumi-chan, not fight. Kyo, stop antagonizing Akito-kun, he's under a lot of emotional strain right now." Minako berated, then she looked at Akito, her glare still in place. "And Akito-kun, be nice to Kyo. His drawings are very…unique."

"Fine." He said, crossing his arms.

"Okay." Kyo said, grudgingly. It was just so much fun to antagonize the Uchiha sometimes he couldn't resist.

"Now if you two don't mind, I was in the middle of a very big scene in my book." She said, letting go of them. She straightened her shirt and sat back down, resuming her reading. Both men glared at the other and went back to what they were doing, and the waiting room became silent.

About half an hour later, Kyo sat up excitedly, holding his picture. "I finished!" he declared, smiling widely. Minako looked up from her book in order to examine the drawing, and her eyes widened.

"Wow, it's beautiful." She stated. Hearing this, Akito walked over.

"Let me see." He said, doubting Minako's opinion. His own eyes widened as well. Somehow the blonde had managed to go from disfigured stick figures to a beautiful portrait of the four of them, each portraying their signature looks. "Dang, you weren't kidding."

"I never kid about my art." He said seriously.

"Whatever." Akito said, resuming his pacing.

"Hey Kyo, why didn't you put Toshiro in the drawing as well?" Minako asked, since the redhead was also going to become part of the blonde's family.

He huffed. "Because he's mean to me."

"I'm mean to you." Akito said, giving the other man an odd look.

"Yeah, but you were mean to me before we became like family members, so its okay. Toshiro I think refuses to like me because I'm marrying Satomi, and the whole thing is arranged." He pulled out another sheet of paper, grabbed a red crayon, and began to draw another picture.

"What are you drawing now?" Minako asked.

"A field of flowers." The other two exchanged a look, wondering if he was as good with inanimate objects as he was with people. Then they resumed their previous tasks of reading and pacing.

Another hour had passed, and by now Minako was done with her book, being a fast reader when it was actually interesting, and had decided to color pictures with Kyo. She chose to color from the coloring book, not possessing any talent whatsoever in art. She and the blonde had been talking and laughing the whole time too, which was beginning to irritate Akito to no end. Here they were at the hospital, waiting for Natsumi's surgery to finish, a surgery she could _die_ from, and they were just laughing it up like old chums.

"And so, the rabbit says to the horse, why the long face?" Kyo said, cracking up. Minako began to laugh as if what he had just said was the funniest thing she had ever heard, and Akito glared at them.

"Will you two shut up? This is no time to be laughing and having fun!" he yelled, becoming angry. They both sobered instantly, but didn't say anything rude back to him, knowing that he was just expressing his worry for his wife.

"Everything's going to be fine Akito-kun." Minako said, trying to calm him. He shook his head.

"No, everything's _not_ going to be fine. My wife could be in there dying, and I don't even know!"

"Akito, it's okay. We understand your upset, but we have faith in Toshiro and Satomi's abilities, and Natsumi's resilience. You should too." Kyo told him. This caused him to calm slightly. He took a deep breath, and sighed.

"Sorry." He said, looking away. Both shrugged and resumed their artwork, not taking any offense to his little outburst.

A while later Akito was pacing even faster, and looking at the clock. "It's been five hours, why hasn't anyone come and gotten us?" he asked, becoming irritated. Kyo sighed.

"They are probably cleaning the supplies and moving Natsumi to another room. Just calm down."

"I refuse to calm down until I know she is okay." The young Uchiha said, picking up his pace. The blonde rolled his eyes and stood. He stretched then, his muscles a bit stiff from being on the floor for so long. During the surgery time he had drawn a picture of a field of flowers, a portrait of the whole family minus Toshiro, a sunset on a beach, and one of the constellations with a full moon. He was extremely pleased with how productive he had been. It had been a while since he had created art just for fun.

"I bet she's fine Akito-kun." Minako said, rising from the floor as well.

The doors to the ER opened, getting the attention of the three in the waiting room. Satomi and Toshiro walked out, both dressed in hospital scrubs. Toshiro's were black and Satomi's were a light green, similar to her eyes. Satomi looked to Akito, a frown set on her face. "Akito, a word?" she asked. He tensed and walked over to them, his face blank in an attempt to hide his emotions.

"What is it? Did everything go okay?" he asked.

She pulled him to the side, her face full of grief and took a deep breath. Toshiro walked behind the Uchiha and gave Kyo and Minako the sign for ok, a devious smirk crossing his face. The two blinked and instantly knew what the siblings were about to do. The redhead stopped beside Akito, his face now solemn. "Akito…I'm sorry…we did the best we could…"

"It just wasn't enough…" Satomi continued.

He looked stricken then, and he gripped the area over his heart in shock. "What?"

"Something must have gone wrong when we rewired the nerves. It was…terrible." Toshiro said, patting Akito's shoulder. He tried so hard to keep the smirk from forming on his face. He knew it was mean, but it was just too hard to resist. Plus…it was payback for sleeping with his sister.

Satomi took his free hand in hers. "Would you like to see her?" she asked, looking concerned, so glad she could hide her true emotions. He nodded, unable to find his voice in that moment. Kyo and Minako had their hands over their mouths in an attempt to hold in their laughter. As Satomi and Toshiro led him back to the room, they followed behind, wanting to see his reaction when he found out it was a joke. Toshiro opened the door for him and shut it once Akito was inside. The group waited for a few minutes and then Akito came out, a scowl on his face.

"I hate you all." He said, causing them to erupt in laughter.

Satomi laughed the hardest, holding her sides. The look on his face was simply priceless. Toshiro's finally died down to snickers, giving Akito a hard pat on the back, which felt suspiciously like a hit. "_That's_ for sleeping with my sister…and marrying her without permission." He said coldly, walking off to go get something to eat. He was starving after such a long healing session.

"Whatever, and you people wonder why I don't show emotion." He said, crossing his arms in a pout. Kyo just shook his head.

"I thought it was a great idea. Who's was it by the way?" he asked, looking at Satomi.

"Mine of course." Satomi said deviously, fanning herself as if it were hard work to have cooked up that charade. "I think it's kinda cute how riled up you get over my sister. No wonder you can stand her, you treat her like a princess."

"Hn." Was all he said, still angry about being tricked. He was genuinely concerned too, and had been picking out the best way to kill himself the entire walk to Natsumi's room. Minako walked up to him, smiling.

"Oh come on Akito-kun, it was funny and you know it. Let's just go and begin our investigation while Satomi-chan, Toshiro and Natsumi-chan rest and recuperate."

"Fine." He said, looking away from her. She was right, he would have thought it to be funny had it been done to someone else, but still.

"Let's go by the mansion first. I need to put away my pictures so they don't get damaged. I'll give them to Natsumi when she wakes up." Kyo said, holding up his pile of drawings, which were turned so that you couldn't see any of them.

Satomi blinked and tried to get a look at the papers. "You drew pictures for Sumi? Can I see?"

He blushed slightly, but handed them over to her. "They're just done in crayon, so it's not my best work." He said. She took them carefully and looked through them, her eyes widening at every new picture.

"Kyo…these are amazing. I didn't know you could draw." She looked purely amazed and then glanced up at him.

He scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "It's sort of a hobby of mine. I haven't gotten the chance to really make anything in a while, and I thought Natsumi would want something pretty to look at when she woke up." He said.

"She will absolutely love them." She smiled happily, but only for a moment. She looked back down at the one of them and arched a confused brow. "Why aren't Toshiro and Minako in this one?"

"That's a picture of our family. Toshiro isn't in it because he's mean to me, and Minako's not related to us yet." He said with a smile. Minako just blushed at what he was implying.

Satomi looked back down to the picture and then to him once more. "But Akito's in it…"

He blinked. "Well yeah, he and Natsumi are married, so that makes him part of the family."

"But he's mean to you too." she said simply.

He waved it off. "But he was mean to me before they got married and stuff. Toshiro is just mean to me because we're getting married." He explained.

She seemed to be trying to make sense of what he was telling her. "But…you only met him one time before he was married to my sister."

"Eh, tomato, _tomato_." He shrugged.

She did the same and started off, "Well I'm going to grab something to eat. I'm exhausted. So see you guys later."

"See ya later sweetie!" Kyo yelled with a wave, his farewell being cut off by Akito grabbing the back of his shirt and dragging him towards the exit.

After going by the house and eating, they headed back out around the town, off to investigate. "So…where should we look first?" Minako asked.

"We should probably go check out the records in the Tsuchikage Tower, just to be on the safe side." Kyo suggested. They all agreed, and headed towards the center of town. Upon arriving at the tower, they walked right in and headed up the stairs.

"Wow Kyo, the receptionist didn't even ask you what you were doing." Minako pointed out, thoroughly impressed.

He shrugged. "That's because I'm the Tsuchikage's grandson. I come here all the time with various people. She probably assumed I was on my way to annoy my grandfather again. It's one of my many pastimes." He said with a smile. Akito just rolled his eyes.

"I'm sure it is."

They went to the floor where the Tsuchikage's office was located and headed down the hall. Kyo stopped them when they were in front of a set of large double doors. He did a few hand signs, drew a bit of blood and smeared it on the door, mumbled a few words, and then it opened for them. "That is ridiculously complicated, stupid, and unsanitary." Akito pointed out. Kyo frowned as they walked in.

"Well how do you get into the records room in Konoha?" he asked.

"Like hell I'm going to tell you that. Technically, you and I are still enemies."

"Technically, you and I are going to be brothers soon, and we're already friends."

"Says you."

"Can we just find the file?" Minako asked, crossing her arms. Seriously, these two bickered like no tomorrow. They sent each other glares, and each person walked up to a filing cabinet and began to look through it. After about an hour of searching, they had been through every file over the last twenty-five years, and there was nothing concerning Konoha or Suna except previous attacks they had made.

"I told you we didn't do it." Kyo said, smirking in triumph.

"We never really accused you, that was Satomi and Toshiro." Akito said, walking out of the room. Minako followed. Kyo shut and locked the door, and the trio exited the building.

"Now what?" Minako asked.

"We ask around at the hospital. See why there would be a bottle of poison in the first place." Akito said, already heading in that direction. Once they arrived he turned to the other two. "Okay, I think we should split up. We'll cover more ground that way. Meet back at the front door in two hours. After that, we'll go home and resume our search tomorrow after Natsumi has woken up and we've spoken to her. Got it?"

"Sir yes sir!" Kyo mocked, saluting and walking away. Minako chuckled, heading off in the opposite direction. Akito let out a sigh, glad to have some time to himself for a while. Then he left for the stairs, deciding to check out the top floor first and make his way down.

* * *

"So you don't know a thing." Akito said, giving the man a bored look. He shook his head.

"Nope."

"Then why did you lie and say you did?"

"I just wanted to see if you knew if that hottie Natsumi was available. I'd really like to put a few miles on her, if you know what I mean." The intern joked, elbowing Akito playfully, who narrowed his eyes.

"Yes, I know what you mean." He deadpanned. His eyes became crimson then, and he trapped the man in a genjutsu. One that would teach him a lesson about talking about another man's wife. "Say that about my wife again and I'll kill you." He muttered, deactivating his sharingan and walking down the hallway. In the entire time he had been questioning people he hadn't discovered a thing, and it was beginning to piss him off, especially since it was almost time for him to meet back up with Kyo and Minako. What kind of hospital has such incompetent staff anyways?

It was then he realized that he was being watched, by some midget looking nurse with huge glasses down the hall. When he looked in her direction, she made a startled noise and ducked into a room. Becoming suspicious, he walked right over there, finding her hiding in an empty examination room. "What is your problem?" he asked. She whimpered pathetically and held up the clipboard in her hands as if to shield herself from him. It wasn't like he was going to kill her or anything, otherwise he would have already done so.

"W-well, Uchiha-sama, I've b-been trying to w-work up the c-courage to tell you some of t-the information t-that I know." She stuttered out. He just stood there, staring at her, which was beginning to make her even more uncomfortable. Growing annoyed with this stupid woman, he scowled.

"Well? What is it?" he suddenly asked, causing her to jump in alarm.

"J-just that Natsumi-sama w-was asked t-to go and get s-supplies for the other d-doctors." she said.

He raised a brow at her. Doctors were never asked to fetch supplies. Especially not psychotic killing ones who also believed that they were above everyone else and were a princess. "Do you know who asked her to get the supplies?" the small woman shook her head vigorously, apparently afraid that since she did not know the information he would punish her. Instead he nodded. "Thank you." And left the room. He looked at one of the clocks on the wall and noted that it was half past nine. Thirty minutes to the end of visiting hours and time to meet the other two. When he got downstairs, he was the first to arrive. Soon, Minako appeared and walked up to him. Before he could ask what she had discovered, Kyo ran up, having just come up the stairs from the lower levels.

"So, did you guys find out anything good? Mine's juicy." He squealed, as if he had won the lottery. The other two rolled their eyes, and Akito decided to begin.

"I found out that Natsumi was asked to go to that storage room to get supplies. Doctors don't usually do that." He said. Minako nodded.

"I was told that shortly before Natsumi-chan went into the room, a bleach blonde nurse with a huge rack went in there, and she looked a little paranoid. But my contact didn't know who it was, since their ID badge was hidden in her long hair or something." She told them. By now Kyo was hopping from foot to foot. Apparently, his was better.

"Will you just spill it?" Akito asked, annoyed with the blonde already.

"The nurse is the one who asked Natsumi to get the supplies, and her name is Kallen, although whether that is her real name or not remains to be seen." He said in a rush. Then he took a deep breath, being over dramatic.

Akito rubbed his chin, processing all the information they had shared. "Hm. Well. We'll have to wait and ask Natsumi when she wakes up, just to confirm it before going after the girl. I don't want to freak her out or anything, since I've done that enough tonight." Minako let out a yawn.

"Can we go home now? I'm sleepy." She said, rubbing her eye a bit. Kyo nodded.

"That's a good idea. Satomi's probably going to bed soon, and I want to be with her." Akito wordlessly turned towards the hospital exit, and they made their way to Kyo's mansion. Minako headed to her room and passed out instantly, while Kyo snuck into his and Satomi's room, since she was already asleep. He crawled into bed with her, carefully wrapping his arm around her as he lay down. She turned in her sleep and snuggled into his embrace, causing him to let out a tender smile.

Akito was more reluctant to go to bed, for he would be all alone. Again. As he pulled the sheets over himself, he let out a sigh. At least Natsumi was alive and would be able to see again. Now all they had to do was catch the one who had tried to kill her, and show them what the true meaning of pain meant.


	40. Resurgence

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Forty_

-Resurgence-

Satomi led the group down the hell towards Natsumi's room. It was finally time to take the bandages off and wait for her to wake up. The surgery had been a huge success, only because she had studied so vigorously. But when Kyo, Akito, and Minako had come home the other day, they had this crazy theory that someone had tried to kill Natsumi. But their facts did make her wonder. Why had the poison been in the storage room? That was simply idiotic for someone to leave it there. She sighed, "Ok, I know you guys are going to want to ask Natsumi what happened, but she's just come out of a major surgery. She needs to take it easy for a day or two. So…_try_ and keep your conspiracy theories to yourself. You know how she gets, and if she finds out someone was trying to kill her then she's going to get pissed and try and kill them."

Toshiro nodded, crossing his arms as he walked alongside his sister. "Don't worry Satomi-chan we already have it all worked out." Minako said.

Kyo smiled. "Yeah, we decided to let Akito handle the whole thing, in case she goes crazy."

"Cause' that worked _so_ well last time." Toshiro rolled his eyes.

"But, should she need to immediately kill something, it will be Akito instead of any of us." The blonde reasoned. Akito just rolled his eyes. They were such idiots sometimes.

Satomi walked into the hospital room and went to her sister's side. She started unrolling the bandages and running her fingers along Natsumi's eyes, healing any last minute issues. Everything seemed fine. She stepped back and gestured for Akito to step forward. Because he was her husband, he got the honors of waking her up. He sat on the edge of the bed and brushed the hair from her eyes tenderly. "Natsumi, it's time to wake up. Open your eyes for me honey." He said softly, searching her face for signs that she heard him.

"I don't wanna." She grumbled, turning on her side and snuggling into his warmth. She gripped onto his leg and curled against him. "I'm tired…"

He smiled at her. "So you don't want to see my handsome face after five long days?" he asked, stroking her head.

She peeked at him through one of her eyes and tried to contain her excitement when she could make out the features of his perfect face. She closed her eye again and smiled happily. She could see again, but she wanted more from her sweet husband and she knew he would give it to her. "But I'm just so sleepy."

"Well if you're sleepy, then I guess we should all leave you alone, so you can rest." He said.

He could see the pout on her face. "Fine then."

Toshiro rolled his eyes and leaned against the back wall. "Will you just kiss her already?"

He glared over at the redhead, but leaned down anyways. Gently grasping her chin in his hands, he turned her face and pressed his mouth against hers in a sweet, slow kiss. She smiled against his soft lips and opened her eyes only to see his closed ones. She kissed him back, before pulling away and staring up at him, taking in every feature of his face. "I missed you." she whispered.

"I missed you." He said with a small smile, stroking her cheek tenderly. Kyo rolled his eyes.

"Yeah that's great and all, but can I show Natsumi my pictures now? I've been waiting all day." The blonde whined, holding the stack of drawings in front of him.

Natsumi peered around her annoyed husband and looked at her soon to be brother in law. "Pictures? You drew me pictures?" she asked, sitting up in her bed. Kyo walked over and handed them to her.

"It's just a hobby of mine, and I thought you'd want something pretty to look at when you could finally see again." He told her.

She took them excitedly and looked through them. "Wow! They're so beautiful!" she gaped, they were all so amazing. She stopped when she got to the one containing herself. It was definitely her favorite. Her brow scrunched, a confused look coming to her face. "How come Toshiro and Minako aren't in this one?"

Toshiro actually showed a spark of irritation, he pushed off the wall and walked over to his sister's side and looked at the picture. It was only Akito, Natsumi, Kyo, and Satomi. "What the hell?" he demanded, glaring at the blonde.

"Oh, that's a picture of our family." Kyo explained, as if it was no big deal that Toshiro wasn't in it.

"But if it's our family, how come he isn't in it?" she asked innocently.

"Yeah," Toshiro said, only getting more annoyed.

Kyo shook his head and let out a sigh, looking straight at the redhead. "I just don't think you're ready to be part of this family Toshiro. That's why I didn't include you." Akito snickered, that definitely was one he hadn't heard yet.

The redhead reached his hand out and grabbed Kyo by the shirt, pulling him over the bed. Natsumi leaned back, going a bit wide eyed now that she had a front row seat to the battle. "Listen here you irritating punk. This is _my_ family. You are the one who has no place in it until I say so. Do you understand?"

"This is exactly what I meant, you are always so mean to me. Maybe if you were a little nicer and actually tried to get to know me, we wouldn't be having this problem." Kyo said, crossing his arms, undeterred.

Toshiro's eye visibly twitched. "You do realize you drew Akito right? Because he doesn't like you either."

"He likes me more than you do."

Akito snorted. "Do not."

Kyo rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I just feel like the only reason you don't like me is because I'm marrying Satomi. At least you actually know about this wedding and are invited to it." He pointed out.

"It doesn't matter. No one is good enough for my sisters. Not someone in line to be a Kage. Not an Uchiha. It doesn't matter." He glared, releasing Kyo and walking off. Natsumi just blinked and smiled. Satomi stared after him, a bit awe stricken as he slammed the door to the hospital room. Minako left after the redhead, wanting to comfort him.

Kyo sighed. "Well, that didn't really go as I planned."

"Did you even plan it at all you big idiot? Would it have killed you that much to just put him in the stupid picture?" Akito asked angrily. Kyo glared at him.

"Don't ever call my artwork stupid, or I'll kill you." He said, walking out of the hospital room and down the hall in the opposite direction Toshiro had gone. Satomi sighed and left the room as well, trailing after her angered fiancé.

Natsumi just looked back at Akito and gave him a strained smile. "Well we're going to be a happy family aren't we?"

He sighed and stroked her cheek. "You and I will be happy, I don't know about the others." He said, kissing her forehead. "How are you feeling love? I didn't get the chance to ask you before all that happened."

"I'm alright." She said moving her hand over his and keeping it against her flesh. "It was like being asleep for a really long time. But like worms were crawling around in my brain. I dunno, it was weird." She giggled softly, giving him a loving look. "You know Uchiha Akito, before I met you I was untouchable and I'd never been in the hospital as a patient. Since I've known you…I've been three times." She teased, leaning closer to him and nuzzling her face against his.

He smiled and returned the gesture. "Well before I met you I never showed my emotions or had any emotional problems, so I think we're even." He said, kissing her.

"Mmm," she kissed him back. "Touché."

Stroking her cheek with his thumb, Akito gave her a considering look. "Natsumi, can you tell me what happened to you the day you were poisoned?"

"Um…ok." She said, sounding a bit confused. "Well…I was finishing with my rounds and so I saw this nurse who was running back and forth between rooms. She came up to me and asked if I could go get the supplies she was asked to get, since she was really busy. She looked exhausted, so I said yes. Then I went to the supply room and when I pulled down the syringes the vile fell."

"Was the nurse really chesty and have long bleach blonde hair?"

She looked off, trying to concentrate. "I think so, she had really pretty blonde hair…" she stopped then and gave him a suspicious look. "But she wasn't _that_ blessed in the chest area." She pouted a bit.

He nodded. "Okay. Do you remember what her name was? Did she introduce herself, or did you get a look at her nametag?"

"Um…" she scratched her cheek, trying to remember. "I don't. Karin…Kathryn? Oh! Kallen, that was it." She nodded, and then looked up at him worriedly. "Why?"

He shook his head. "No reason, I was just wondering was all."

Her gaze turned to a small glare. "Akito…" she warned. He frowned.

"You have to promise if I tell you, you'll recuperate and let me handle it." He said.

"You want me to sit on the sidelines?" she crossed her arms defensively, already becoming tense. She didn't like where this was going.

"No, I want you to get better while I figure this thing out. I don't want to risk anything affecting your healing process. Plus, Satomi told me not to say anything, because she knew you were going to freak out. I'm trusting you not to." He told her, placing his hand on her crossed arms.

"What is this about?" she demanded. "Are you insinuating that I was purposely poisoned?" she glared threateningly.

He sighed and wiped a hand down his face. "Kyo, Minako and I were talking yesterday while you were in surgery, and he pointed out that there shouldn't have been a bottle of poison in that storage room. They keep all their poisons on a different floor, stored much more securely. So we did some digging, and I believe that this Kallen woman is the one who set the whole thing up in an attempt to kill you." He explained. Then he took one look at her face. "Natsumi, calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down Uchiha Akito! That bitch is going to die for trying to poison me!" she threw the covers off her and started to get out of bed, pulling one of her shoes on. "I'm going to rip her insides out nice and slow!"

He stood and placed his hands on her shoulders. "This is exactly why we weren't going to tell you! You just got out of surgery, don't overexert yourself. We don't even know for sure if it was her. That's why I want you to rest here, while I go find her. I will then interrogate her, and if she proves to be the one who tried to do it, I will bring her back here for you to kill." He said. "Just please try and think about this rationally."

"You won't bring her back to me! You will kill her and apparently she has big enormous breasts! I don't need to rest, I'm in top physical form." She kneeled down and pulled on her other shoe, pushing him aside. "I'll handle this myself." She said, swaying a bit, she leaned forward gripping her head in one of her hands and steadying herself against the wall with the other.

He was next to her in an instant, placing his hands on her waist in order to steady her. "Honey, look at me." He said, reaching out and turning her head towards him. "You need to rest. You're a doctor, surely you know this. I swear, on my honor as an Uchiha and as your husband, that I will not kill her, nor will I allow anyone else to do so. She will be saved for you." He promised. Then he smiled at her. "Besides, I've never seen her before, but your breasts are the only ones that draw my eyes, so don't worry about it."

A small blush dusted across her cheeks. She looked away from him, but stayed in his comforting hold. "You're so full of it." She huffed, trying to stay stubborn. But he just made it so hard.

He smiled and pulled her closer, nuzzling her neck as he did so. "Perhaps. Or maybe I'm just in love with the most beautiful, most amazing woman in the entire world." He murmured, nipping her earlobe.

She practically melted in his arms. "Still so full of it." She smiled, allowing him to help her back to the bed. She sat down and watched as he knelt down and slowly remove her boots. He took her bare leg and kissed her shin, slowly moving up. She shivered when his hand moved between her legs, grabbing her thigh. "You're just trying to make me weak in the knees so I can't go after her myself."

"Is it working?" he asked against her skin, rubbing her thigh with his other hand.

"Possibly." She smirked, running her hand through his dark locks.

"I'll have to try harder then." He stood and kissed her passionately then, bringing both of his hands up and sneaking them underneath her hospital gown, rubbing her pelvis.

She bit back a moan and pulled his hands back, "Now darling. You're not really going to try and please me while some woman who is trying to kill me is running around, unpunished. Now if you really want to please me…" she smirked darkly, touching her fingers to his chin and pulling his face to hers. "Then bring me her head and I will make love to you more passionately than I ever have before."

"I'll get right to it then." He said, kissing her before leaving the room. He decided to go find the woman on his own, since as far as he knew everyone else was still off pouting and getting their egos soothed.

* * *

He searched around the hospital, but had no luck in finding the woman named Kallen. Frustrated to no end, he went up to the receptionist. "Has Kallen come in to work today?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No sir. As far as I know she was going to go on vacation starting yesterday."

He frowned. "Where did she go?"

"I think she said something about a cabin in the woods, over by a lake or something." The woman told him. He made a noise of displeasure and left, off to find Kyo. He would know out of everyone where a cabin could possibly be located in this desolate country. He went to the mansion, and found the blonde laying on the couch reading a book. "Kyo, where would I find a cabin next to a body of water?" he asked.

Kyo raised a brow. "Why?"

"That's where Kallen is. Natsumi confirmed it, it was definitely that woman who sent her to get the supplies. I'm looking for her right now, and that is where she is located. Seems she high-tailed it out of here when she found out that her plan failed."

"Hm, the only places I can think of are the lake about half a day south of here, and a small pond over in the mountains to the northwest." The blonde said. Akito nodded and left. It would be faster if he had Minako with him, so that he could use her eyes to locate the woman faster. She was outside in the garden with Toshiro. "Minako, I need your help."

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "With what Akito-kun?"

"I need you to come with me and find Kallen. There's only two places she could be right now, and it will be quicker if you are with me and I can use your Byakugan." He explained, getting frustrated with everyone's questions. Toshiro just exchanged a look with Minako and then looked at Akito.

"Just hurry back. It's not safe for you to be alone outside the village."

He crossed his arms. "Whatever. If anyone gets in my way I'll kill them."

"I'm just saying. Think about your wife." He shrugged and got up, leaving the two alone to go inside.

Akito just looked at Minako. "Well?" she stood from her spot with a sigh.

"Of course I'll help you Akito-kun." She said.

He summoned Kei, and the two left, flying off towards the mountains. When they got close enough Minako activated her byakugan and they flew lower to the ground, scanning the area for the blonde. "I can see the pond and the cabin. It's just over there." She pointed off in the direction she was looking in. They flew over there, and before the large hawk could fully land Akito had activated his sharingan, jumped off, and was running towards the cabin. He kicked the door down and scanned the inside, letting out a frustrated growl when he discovered it was empty.

Getting back on Kei, they took to the sky and flew over every forested area, searching for the lake. After flying for almost an hour, Minako placed her hand on Akito's arm. "There it is." She said, pointing to a gap in the forest. They landed quickly, wanting to have the element of surprise on their hands. Akito told Kei to hide and be quiet, and then he and Minako ran through the trees in the direction of the lake. Hiding in the brush behind the small house, Minako scanned the area, peering through the wood with her byakugan. "She's in there."

Without further discussion, Akito jumped through one of the windows, shattering the glass. He rolled on the floor and stood once he stopped, his sharingan activated and a kunai drawn. Minako stayed outside and began to sneak towards the front door, in case the woman decided to run.

The blonde had her own kunai drawn, and was in a defensive position. Her eyes went wide with realization. "Y-You're Uchiha Akito!"

"Yes, and I'm going to kill you for poisoning my wife." He said.

She let out a dark laugh. "I was just doing the world a favor. Didn't really think the elder twin would be able to do it, but that stupid bitch just had to wake up." She scoffed, twirling her kunai in her hand and then taking hold of it. "No wonder the Kazekage picked Haruno Sakura. Their children are simply indestructible. What are you doing with a woman anyway Uchiha? Don't you know you're supposed to follow in daddy's footsteps?"

Akito glared at her hatefully for her words. Nobody compared him to his father and lived. Ever. Before she could blink, he had her pinned to the wall, his kunai at her throat. "I would, but did you hear? I am better than my father, and surpassed him years ago. Now tell me, who sent you to kill Natsumi?"

"I was sent to kill all of you." She said shortly.

"That does not answer my question woman. Who sent you?" he repeated, pressing the kunai against her skin.

She smirked. "You might as well kill me Uchiha. I will never tell you. No amount of torture will get it out of me either." She felt the kunai dig into her flesh and winced. "Everyone wants your wife dead. _Everyone_. And you're right there on the list with her. If you think it'll stop just by killing me, you're sorely mistaken. Especially since you left her there all by herself. And I didn't work alone."

Hearing this, he quickly snapped the blonde's neck. He threw her lifeless body over his shoulders and walked out the front of the cabin and towards Kei. Minako gave him an inquisitive look as she followed. "What happened Akito-kun?"

"I don't know who she works for, but she said that she wasn't alone. Natsumi is virtually defenseless in that damned hospital. We must get back to her as soon as possible." He explained, hopping onto the large hawk. As soon as Minako was on they took off, flying at top speed towards Iwa. Once they got there they landed on top of the hospital. Akito immediately ran inside and towards Natsumi's room, ignoring the looks he was receiving due to the corpse he had on his shoulder. Reaching Natsumi's room, he kicked the door in, startling the pink haired woman in the bed. "Natsumi, are you alright?" he asked, worry showing on his features.

She stared at her husband and then the thing he had over his shoulder. "Yes, I'm fine why?" she asked, his gaze lowered until he saw splattered blood on the white hospital sheets.

"Who tried to hurt you?" he demanded, dropping the dead woman carelessly and walking up to her.

"Oh," she blinked and leaned over to the side of the bed that was by the window. She pointed down. "Some weird man came in here and tried to kill me. But he wasn't very good, so…" she smiled, pointing down at the man. Akito leaned over the bed to see the auburn haired man. He had seen the man many times in the hospital too. Especially around Natsumi's room.

"Hn. Well," he said, bending over and picking Kallen up by her hair. "I brought you her corpse. She wouldn't tell me who she was working for, only that she was sent to kill us all, and that she wasn't alone. When I heard this and realized that nobody was here with you, I snapped her neck and came back." He explained, letting go of the tangled blonde locks and letting her fall back to the floor. Minako came in then, a grimace on her face at the sight of the two dead bodies.

"I'll get rid of these for you." She said, grabbing both by their arms and dragging them out of the room. She figured that the married couple would want some time alone, and in case Natsumi freaked out or Akito got too angry, she didn't want to be anywhere near them.

After Minako disappeared back out the door, Natsumi looked back at Akito. "To kill all of us? But why? You and I are the only ones who are wanted."

"I'm not sure. Perhaps because of the alliance between Suna and Iwa through your sister's upcoming marriage to Kyo, they want to stage another set up. And since Toshiro and Minako are with us, they might as well take out a two more obstacles while they're at it. Because with the Sand Siblings dead, Suna is left wide open and defenseless." He said, sitting next to her on the bed. "I believe they are the same people that framed Konoha."

Natsumi let out a small laugh. "If they think Suna will be defenseless just because my siblings and I are gone, they are in for a rude awakening." She shrugged and leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Maybe. What do you think we should do?"

He began to run his fingers through her pink locks as he thought about her question. "The best thing to do would be to go back to Konoha and search through the archives there once you are better. We will be able to find out what the village did in an attempt to find who set us up, if we were in fact set up, and might be able to find a few leads."

"We should leave sooner rather than later. Obviously Iwa is no longer safe for us." She frowned, looking up at him sadly. "I will be fine. I promise. But I would feel more at ease if we were on the move and trying to figure out this whole mess."

He nodded. "Then we will leave tomorrow morning. I will carry you part of the way." When she opened her mouth to protest he placed a finger over her lips. "Please, just let me take care of you for a while. At least until I know for sure we are safe." She pouted, trying to give him the puppy dog look. He just shook his head. "Nope, not gonna work. Besides, you'll need all the energy you can muster to, what was it, ah yes, make love to me more passionately than you ever have before." He said with a smirk, making a trail up her neck with his pointer finger. She looked away from him, unable to hide the blush that spread across her cheeks.

"Fine. But it will be tonight. I want to have sex in a bed if I'm going to do to you what I have planned." She grabbed his hand and pulled him closer, pressing her lips against his neck and then whispering into his ear. "So please get me out of this damn hospital so I can put this _bad_ Uchiha boy in his place." She purred, running her fingers down his pants and getting a feel of him.

He hissed at her pleasuring touch, and moved so that she was now in his lap. Not needing any more prompting, he formed a few hand signs, and they disappeared from the hospital only to arrive in their room at Kyo's mansion. "Will this bed do?" he asked, setting her on it.

"It will do just fine, hope we don't break it." She teased leaning back so her back was flat on the bed. She slowly dissolved into sand and quickly emerged from the walk in closet the room had. She had on one of the little 'outfits' she had gotten on their shopping spree. It was a black see-through corset, with matching black lace underwear. She had thigh high black sheer tights and fingerless gloves that went up to her elbows. She approached him slowly, like a lion preying on a lamb. She smirked and shoved him down onto the bed in a sitting position, using his awe to her advantage. She pulled out a black whip and circled it behind his neck, bringing him closer to her. "Have you been a bad boy, Uchiha Akito?"

He licked his lips as he eyed her outfit, his gaze pausing on her breasts before reaching her face. "I do believe I have. What are you going to do about it?' he asked, cupping her rear with his hands.

She tightened the whip around his neck and pressed him flush against her. "Punish you. Bad boys need to be punished, or they never learn." She snickered, shoving him down onto his back and mounting him. "Do you want to be punished baby?"

"Yes. Please teach me a lesson." He answered quickly, now fully aroused by her actions.

"Oh, I'll teach you a lesson alright. You bad, _bad _boy!" she ground her hips against his, erupting a long moan from the both of them.

Toshiro stopped in the hallway, looking up from his book and to their door. "Well Natsumi's back." He said uninterested. He started walking again, only hearing more dirty fore play. He shook his head and sighed. "Freaks."


	41. Departure

**Magnetism **

_Chapter Forty-One_

-Departure-

Natsumi opened her eyes and was met with darkness. She frowned, it wasn't the darkness she had faced days ago but she still didn't like it. Slowly and carefully, she slipped from Akito's grip and climbed out of bed. They would be leaving soon, but before then she wanted to get in a nice hot shower, since she knew it was the last one she would be getting in a long while. She headed to the bathroom and closed the door before turning on the light. She started the water and let out a deep sigh. She was actually going to miss Iwa. Once the water was the right temperature and the shower was on, she stepped in, already naked from the previous night's antics.

When the hot water hit her skin, she relaxed instantly. The last few days had been so stressful and even now thinking about her and Akito's new journey made her tired. Why couldn't people just leave them alone? It wasn't like they were trying to fight in the war anymore. They just wanted to be together.

Waking when he felt his love leave the confines of his arms, Akito laid in the bed a moment longer. It would be the last night in a while that they would be sleeping in a bed, and while he wasn't one to complain, the forest floor got tiring after a while. Hearing the shower start, he decided to rise and join his lovely wife. He had no ulterior motive, other than spending more time with her. Rising from the bed and stretching, he silently entered the already steaming bathroom. He walked over to the shower and stepped in behind his beautiful pink haired companion. He wrapped his arms around her trim waist and nuzzled her neck affectionately, humming deeply at the feel of her in his arms, where she belonged.

She glanced back at him, smiling, she loved the feel of his arms around her. "Good morning my love." She said, leaning into his embrace and enjoying his feel. Her smile slowly faded, "We have to leave today…"

He frowned, a crease marring his perfect features. "Do not be sad Natsumi. The sooner we find out who is trying to kill us and framed Konoha, the sooner we can truly be together, wanted criminals or not." He said, his grip on her tightening.

"I know, I know." She sighed, placing her hands over his and swaying with him as she started to hum. "Well, we better hurry before the others wake up." She pulled away from him then, but not before giving him a kiss. She started washing her body and then her hair, running the suds thoroughly, since she knew it would be the last. Akito did the same, and soon they got out of the shower and dressed in new, clean clothes, bought at Kyo's expense nonetheless. After packing their supplies, and readying their weapons, Akito turned to Natsumi.

"Ready?" he asked, fastening his newly sharpened katana onto his back.

She nodded and turned around, giving him a look at her new get up. She had on her short black shorts and a tight fitted black long sleeved shirt. The sleeves were tight and stopped in the middle of her fore arm. When her back faced him he got a glimpse of the Uchiha crest on her back. "What do you think?" she asked, pulling on her gloves and fastening her kunai pouch around her waist.

He himself was in a similar getup, wearing his signature black pants and black shirt, its long sleeves pushed up to his elbows, with the Uchiha crest on the back, much like Natsumi's. Tightening his fingerless gloves, he smiled. "It suits you."

"Only cause you have your mark on me." She teased, pulling on her knee high ninja shoes and then grabbing her sword. Once it was secured to her back she picked up her pack and tossed him his. "Ok. Let's go." He nodded and they left the room silently, creeping down the hallway. They made it into the living room and just about to the door before a loud cough made them freeze and whip out kunai. The lights flipped on, only to reveal Satomi, Kyo, Toshiro, and Minako sitting on the couches.

"And just where do you think you two are going?" Toshiro asked, looking over at his sister.

"Um," she blinked, searching for an answer she didn't have. That was when she noticed how they were all dressed. Satomi had on black capris and a tight black sleeveless shirt that exposed some of her flat stomach. Her hair was braided once again, which could only mean one thing. Kyo had on some black short pants, stopping mid shin, and a small black t-shirt. Toshiro was dressed similarly, only he had his black gloves on as well. Minako wore mesh leggings that stopped mid-thigh, a black skirt on over it. She had on a tight black shirt with sleeves that stopped just before her elbows, and a kunai holster tied around her waist.

Akito spoke up then. "We are going out to train. Is there a problem with that?" he asked, coming up with a convincing enough lie.

Satomi stood and walked up to them, crossing her arms over her chest. "Then why do you have all your things?" she arched a delicate brow.

"It's an extensive training program that we are starting, and planned on being gone for a day or two." He replied. Minako sighed.

"Akito-kun, your chakra still flares ever so slightly when you lie." She said. Akito cursed inwardly, but remained silent. Damn Minako and her ability to sense and decipher chakra types because of her heritage.

Toshiro got up as well and took the spot next to his sister. "Look, if they're after all of us, then it isn't just your problem. We want to help prove Konoha was set up…you aren't the only one with feelings for someone outside your village." He said, holding his hand out to Minako and helping her up.

"We didn't want to involve any of you in something that we caused." Akito explained. Kyo laughed and stood, walking until he was on Satomi's other side and wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"Dude, I don't know why you still can't grasp this, but we're family, like it or not. And family doesn't just leave someone out in the cold to solve their own problems. They help one another." He said.

Natsumi actually began to tear up. "No, we couldn't. We don't even know where this is going to lead us. You're much safer here. They came after me first. So obv-"

"Yes," Toshiro interrupted. "Obviously they are trying to take you out first because you are a huge threat and no doubt Akito will be next. But Akito…what will you do if Natsumi gets hurt again and you have to sit there and watch her die?" Natsumi huffed up, annoyed that her brother was complimenting her and insulting her at the same time. Like she would ever get hit. She frowned then, well she _had_ just been poisoned.

Akito's forest green gaze hardened. "The smart thing would be to take us both out at the same time, because I would hunt them down and kill them mercilessly. And then I would join Natsumi."

"Another smart thing to do would be to let us come with you. We are all capable ninja, and there is strength in numbers. It will be harder to kill any of us if we are all together." Minako said, placing her hands on her hips.

Satomi nodded, "And I can't believe you would be so stubborn to not take medics offered help. You would much rather chance something happening to her? Have I not already proven how useful I could be? None the less Toshiro, Kyo, and Minako are experts in their fields as well."

Natsumi looked up at her husband, "My dearest…" she touched his arm tenderly, giving him an innocent look. Akito looked down at her, and the anger in his eyes vanished. Letting out a minute sigh, he looked back at everyone else.

"Fine, you can come with us. But I'm not saving any of you, your life is your own." He said, crossing his arms. Kyo rolled his eyes and snorted.

"Don't insult me Uchiha. I fought the two of you and made it out, I think I can handle a group of enemy nin and live." The blonde said, smirking.

Both Akito and Natsumi went wide eyed. Toshiro, Minako, and Satomi all looked at the blond in awe. "You what?" they asked.

He laughed and waved his hand through the air, brushing off the matter like it was nothing. "When I first encountered the traitorous couple they were stumbling out of a tent, probably from a night filled with moans and groans. They seem to do that a lot. But I did in fact beat them, it was pretty easy too."

"I was flustered! That is all!" she pointed, glaring at him. "And we didn't have sex until I was taken into Konoha as a prisoner. Akito caught me and took me to his house and we made very sweet and very romantic, amazing love." She stuck her tongue out at him and then placed her hands on her hips.

Kyo waved away her excuse. "Yeah, yeah. You know, I wasn't even fighting you to my fullest potential, and Akito had already activated the Mangekyou." Said Uchiha glared.

"Shut your trap. I was merely trying to intimidate you." He said.

"Sure you were." The blonde said, a mischievous grin in place.

Natsumi reached behind her and gripped the hilt of her sword. "You want to go again Kyo, because I can assure you it will not end the same way."

"Ok now!" Satomi growled, glaring at the two. "Kyo, stop antagonizing my sister please. I would like to keep you around if you don't mind."

He smiled at her. "Sure thing dear."

"Can we leave now, or do you all insist on delaying us further?" Akito asked tersely, already thoroughly annoyed even though it was still so early in the morning.

"We wouldn't have been delayed had you asked us to come with you in the first place. Let's go." Minako said, grabbing Toshiro's hand and walking out of the house. Akito sighed and followed, ignoring his oncoming headache.

Natsumi followed after Akito, reaching up and massaging the back of his neck with her fingers as they walked. "It's going to be ok baby." She smiled happily. Kyo and Satomi grabbed their bags and took the rear, locking the house on the way out. They took off and were out of Iwa in a matter of minutes. Once they were in the forest Akito and Natsumi took the lead, bounding through the trees easily.

"Where are we starting?" Satomi asked.

"Well, I've been through the Suna archives personally, so I know that Suna has nothing on the attack. Other than the proof against Konoha, so we're going to Leaf to search theirs to see if they have anything on the incident that could lead us in the right direction." Natsumi explained, glancing back at her sister.

"And just how are we going to get into Konoha? You and Akito are wanted criminals." Kyo said, raising a brow.

"I have a way to get in, and a place you guys can stay so that you aren't detected." Akito informed them. Natsumi nodded, remembering the way she had used to escape.

"The secret entrance right?" she asked, looking over to Akito.

"Yes." He replied.

They remained silent for the rest of the journey. It took two long days to get to Konoha, or at least outskirts of it. Akito dropped to the ground, followed by Natsumi and then the rest. Satomi looked around the rock and grimaced. "Are you sure this is the right place?"

Akito looked back at her, his eyes red with the sharingan. "I think I would know where a secret entrance into the Uchiha District is." He said tersely, before turning around and walking forward. They followed him a ways, until he stopped before a very large rock with a small bush in front of it. Performing a series of hand signs too quickly for the eye to see, the image of the rock shimmered and vanished, revealing a thick stone door. Then Akito bit his thumb and wrote the name Uchiha on the stone. The crimson liquid sank into the door slowly, and once it was all gone, he bent and pressed a spot on the ground hidden by the bush. They heard a rumbling noise then, and the ground began to shake. The door slid open slowly, revealing a long, dark tunnel. Akito turned to the group. "See?"

"Wow Akito-kun, I couldn't even see this with my Byakugan." Minako said.

Kyo snorted. "And you thought it was complicated just to get to the archives in Iwa? That was just ridiculous."

Natsumi just walked in but Toshiro seemed wary. "You do realize what you're doing right Akito…?" he asked, giving him a sad glance. "By showing this to us, I mean…"

Satomi and Natsumi stopped, looking back at their brother. Kyo had the same question rolling around in his head. Akito shrugged. "We're a family right? And, if not that, I assumed we were friends. Besides, after everything that's happened, I trust you." He said.

Toshiro looked truly surprised, but nodded. They were family and he had to admit, if only to himself for now, that they were friends and he too did trust Akito. They all went into the cave and the entrance closed behind them as soon as the last were in. Natsumi stopped and looked back into the darkness. "Now we all can't go into the village." She explained, "But who's going to go in? Obviously Akito and I-"

"Why are you going in, you can't conceal your chakra enough to where it would make a difference." Satomi said stiffly.

"Because I already have my disguise. I've infiltrated Konoha before." She pointed out. "And she's a ninja, so it will be fine."

Akito looked in Natsumi's direction. "I wouldn't disguise yourself as Tomoyo again, only because we don't know if she's supposed to be in the village or not, and we could accidentally run into her or get our cover blown by another ninja or villager."

"We can go in disguised as members of the Hyuuga Clan. There are so many of them, nobody would question our disguises, not even another member. And even if we were disguised as civilian members, they also possess chakra, because of our bloodline." Minako suggested.

"I don't want white eyes!" Natsumi huffed up. "I don't care if I am disguised. I will look beautiful as I do so!"

"They aren't white, they're a light purple!" Minako huffed, crossing her arms. She was slightly offended, despite the fact that her eyes were blue, no thanks to her father. "And every Hyuuga is considered beautiful, we have excellent bone structure." She continued.

"It is the best plan we've got. Besides, you don't need to look beautiful for anyone but me Natsumi, and I'll be able to see under your henge." Akito said, not really wanting this to be made into a big deal.

She crossed her arms defensively, "I think it'll be weird if a bunch of _Hyuuga_'s just walk right up to the tower and try to get in. I say we appear as normal villagers. Since I can't already use mine."

Minako rolled her eyes, although the action couldn't be seen in the darkness. "Whatever, it was just a suggestion." Then she formed a few hand signs for her henge, making her eyes turn a sparkling green and her hair shorten to her shoulders and become blonde. She also altered her features a bit, but for the most part stayed the same. Akito did the same, fashioning his hair style after Toshiro, only making it a bright orange, and his eyes golden. Natsumi followed suit, her hair flowing longer and turning as dark as night. Her eyes twisted into a soft hazel brown and they continued down the tunnel, leaving Satomi, Kyo, and Toshiro behind.

They reached the Uchiha district and headed towards Akito's house, sensing Sasuke wasn't there they went inside and let out sighs. "Ok so how are we going to get into the records room?" Natsumi asked, looking between the two. There was suddenly a frantic pounding on the door, Akito blinked and shook her head.

"Oh you've got to be kidd-"

"Akito!" Haru burst in through the door and tackle hugged his friend, despite his disguise. "Where have you been man! I can't believe you're back! How was the wedding? Is Kika Island nice around this time of year? I _need_ the details man. How was your wife, you guys rock that island while you were there. I bet that little Suna princess is a maniac in the bed room." He snickered, shaking the Uchiha excitedly. Natsumi turned a dark red, suddenly growing angry.

"How does he know all that?"

Akito forced the brunette off of him with a shove. "Nobody knows, he just does." Then he looked at his friend. "The wedding was good, we liked the island, it's really nice, my wife is amazing, and of course she is, did you expect anything less?" he said, answering all of the questions.

"Awesome." He snickered, getting off the ground. "Oh yeah and your uncle. He's alive I see, I guess Sasuke's gunna be pissed when he finds out."

Natsumi's jaw dropped, pointing accusingly at Haru. "How?" she demanded. Haru looked back at the dark haired woman and smirked.

"Please little Uchiha wife. I am an excellent information gathering ninja. There is _nothing_ I do not know about. And you guys want to get into the file room correct?"

"Would you please take us there Haru?" Minako asked. "We would appreciate it."

He looked at the other woman and smirked, "Sure Minako. But I do have one condition." He glanced back at Natsumi. "You are supposed to be one of the most beautiful women in the land. I want to compare. Besides I've never seen you up close before."

She blinked and looked over at Akito and then back to him. "Why?"

"Because," he said, getting irritated. "I love gossip and I love even more to prove it true or false. I have a need to know."

"Ok…" she formed a release hand sign and in a puff of smoke her disguise was gone, revealing her body. He looked seriously impressed, getting closer and stalking around her, rubbing his chin as he examined her.

"Hmm…" he seemed to be deep in thought, stopping behind her and letting his gaze lower. "Definitely a very fine specimen." He nodded, making Natsumi turn a dark red since he knew what he was staring at.

Akito glared at his friend. "Haru." He warned, not having to continue his threat, since the other man knew what it meant.

The brunette straightened up quickly and laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "My bad, my bad. I know." He smiled, stepping away from him and closer to Akito. She replaced her disguise and attached herself to his side.

"He's weird." She whispered.

"He's an idiot, that's what he is. But a useful one." Akito replied, not caring if Haru heard him.

Minako shrugged. "I like Haru!" she said, since they had grown up together, along with Akito, and had been friends since childhood. Akito gave her a pointed look.

"That's because he's just about as stupid as your father." He said, causing her to cross her arms.

"Whoa! I can retain information thank you very much! I am nothing like Naruto. And you know what, you can just get yourself into the records room. And I'm not going to help you!" he huffed and headed for the door where a giant husky was sitting happily.

"Haru, please. The fate of our village and this war hangs on what we need to find in the records room. That and, my happiness. I'm sorry if I offended you." He said, sucking up his pride since he knew Haru was the only one who would be able to get them in and out undetected.

"That's more like it." The brunette said with a haughty laugh. "Then if you all will follow me. We can get in and out in no time." he said, leaving the house then.

"Wow." Natsumi gaped, staring up at her husband. "Put right in your place." she snickered, following the brunette out. Minako just pat his shoulder and followed her friends. Wordlessly Akito followed, silently cursing his friend the entire way to the Hokage Tower.

They walked into the tower no problems, but that wasn't going to be the difficult part. They started up the stairs and everything seemed to be going fine until they came to the entrance of the records room. There was a shinobi standing guard and he did not look nice. The group approached, Haru didn't even seem slightly hesitant. Natsumi watched him and he simply passed the guard who gave him a nod. _What the heck_? But when the three tried to follow him in they were stopped immediately. "Whoa, whoa, whoa." He shook his head. "I don't think so. Just who do you think you guys are?" he asked.

Haru came back out and flashed the man a toothy grin. "No man, Yahiko these guys are with me. It's all good. We're doing some research."

"Oh alright then." He smiled back giving a small nod to the ladies. "Take your time then." He held the door open and then closed it behind them. Natsumi just stared in awe at the brunette.

"Are you freaking kidding me? They just let you in here? No questions asked? Are you even related to the Hokage?" she demanded.

"No," he blinked, pulling out a scroll and beginning to unroll it. "I just come here a lot is all. I like to know things."

Akito rolled his eyes and began his search for the scrolls that would indicate whether or not Konoha was part on the assassination in Suna. Minako did the same, but looked over at her friend with a smile. "So Haru, how are you and Tomoyo doing since I left?" she asked out of curiosity.

This seemed to brighten the man's face even more than the talk of gossip. A light bulb went off as Natsumi was searching through the scrolls. "Tomoyo. That girl I impersonated last time I was here?" she asked.

Haru huffed up like an angry puffer fish. "Yes, she was. And you made me think she wanted to be with Akito! So thanks a lot!"

"My bad." She shrugged, it wasn't like she intentionally picked out the girl.

"Whatever." He growled looking back at Minako. "We are doing awesome thanks, we actually just made love for the first time a few nights ago and it was amazing. The best thing I have ever felt." He said dreamily, resting back against the wall. "Though I don't think well be turning into sex addicts like these two over here. You guys really like the foreplay don't you?" he snickered, making Natsumi go red with anger and embarrassment. She wasn't ashamed that she and Akito had sex a lot, it kept their blood pumping and seeing as they both spoke through actions it was how they showed just how much they loved each other.

"How could you possibly know that?" she glared, really annoyed now.

He gave a small shrug. "I just do." He smirked then, "By the way, looks like your eyes have healed quite well. I'm glad. It would suck if you became useless to Akito. He'd probably get pretty annoyed pretty fast." He pressed on. He always had a knack for pushing people's buttons.

"That's it!" she yelled, throwing the scrolls down, her break in concentration forcing her charade to disappear. She lunged at him from across the room, intent on ripping his smart ass mouth right off his smug little face. Akito caught her by the waist and held her against his body.

"Natsumi, calm down. Just ignore him." He ordered, before looking at his friend. "Would you quit provoking her? It would suck if so soon after losing your virginity you died a tragic, painful death." He said to the brunette.

Haru ducked quickly as sand slammed into the wall he had been against. He stared at Natsumi's enraged face and then back to Akito's. "Fine." He huffed and watched them resume their search. "What exactly are you guys looking for?"

"We're trying to find proof that Konoha didn't plan the assassination of the Suna council members all those years ago, and to see if we can figure out who did." Minako said, reaching into the filing cabinet and pulling out another scroll.

The brunette laughed and got up from his spot. He walked over to one of the walls and pulled out a scroll. "Then you're looking for this one." He tossed it over to Akito and crossed his arms. Natsumi went over to him, back in her disguise. She began to read it over his shoulder.

"It says that Konoha investigated Mist and thought it was them. But the research was never confirmed or continued." A smile came across her face then. "Alright this is great Akito, we just have to go to Mist."

"Well you could." Haru sighed, scratching his head. "But it would be a waste of time, cause Mist didn't do it."

"Well, then who did? I'm guessing you know?" Akito asked, looking up from the scroll to his friend.

"Of course I know. It was Lightning."

They all gave him annoyed stares. "How do you know that for sure?" Natsumi asked.

He rolled his eyes, "Well when I read that report about five years ago I decided to do a little digging myself. Since no one could find out who did it. So I took a mission to Mist and raided their records. They didn't have anything on it, but they had received a few messages from Lightning asking if they wanted part in setting up the next Ninja War."

Trusting his friend would know the answer to his next question, Akito asked, "Do you know if it was also Lightning that sent that woman to poison Natsumi?" he asked, frowning at the memory.

"Well, I don't know for sure, sure. But it was most likely because in technical terms Natsumi is one of the biggest threats for other countries. Kinda like you are from Konoha. Someone must know you guys are onto the whole setup idea and are trying to silence it. Not to mention, if any of the Sand siblings were killed Suna would go ballistic and Gaara himself would lead a full on attack against the one responsible. Which right now would be you. Since she is technically your responsibility." He continued on after taking a breath. "Aside from that, getting rid of her leaves Suna one less unstoppable force. It may not fall to anyone but its offense goes down. If you think about it, there are only five major players in this war and now two of them are in an alliance. Although…Iwa thinks that you guys have kidnapped the Tsuchikage's son and it was all a setup from Konoha. Since Satomi is gone as well. Man," he sighed, shaking his head. "You guys just can't help but cause trouble."

"What? But he came on his own! And he even said he left a note to explain!" Natsumi exclaimed.

"Well they must have not found it." Haru said simply.

Akito sighed. "Some higher power must hate us."

"Yeah probably." Haru said. A scroll flew at his head and nailed him right between the eyes. "Ow!" he fell back, rubbing his now red forehead. "Akito! Control your woman! Damn you may be pretty but you're mean! And mean-ness is UGLY." Another scroll hit him in the face. Suddenly, Akito threw a punch at his friend, who just barely dodged. "What the hell man?" the brunette asked. Akito just glared.

"Why didn't you tell anyone of this information sooner? You big idiot, do you realize how much trouble we went through that could have been avoided had you done so?" he asked.

Haru just glared at him and avoided another punch aimed for his face. "At the time the information was irrelevant. Knowing it wouldn't have helped anything and your little whirlwind romance happened so fast I never really got the chance to tell you. And then you up and ran away with her." He gestured towards Natsumi.

"How the hell wasn't it relevant?" she demanded.

"Think about it," he said sharply, looking from Akito and then to Natsumi. "It didn't matter if Konoha knew whether or not they were set up. We would need Suna to give us the light of day. Plus they would just think that we were trying to frame someone else and get off the hot seat. We needed someone from Suna to actually believe us and after the incident with the Kazekage's daughter's our only link to Suna promised to crush Leaf into rubble. Not to mention the Kazekage cut off all ties with anyone he knew after Satomi and Natsumi were nearly killed."

They all remained silent and finally Minako spoke. "That does make sense…"

"We will just travel to Lightning then and find proof of the assassinations. Then, once we have achieved that, we will go to Suna and speak to your father. With your brother and sister on our side, not to mention Kyo, the Tsuchikage's grandson, he'll have to listen to us, right?" Akito asked hopefully, looking down at Natsumi.

She glanced up at him, a frown forming on her face. "I'm not sure. But it's worth a try. I mean Toshiro isn't even allowed to come back home without me. I haven't seen my father in three months. He probably hates me now. Not to mention they probably know that we were in Iwa by now."

"They do." Haru affirmed.

She flashed him a glare and then focused back on her husband. "But we have to try. We have to…" she trialed off, placing her hand on his chest.

He covered her hand in his and stroked her cheek with his other one. "We will. I'll do anything for us to be together." He assured her softly.

"Weird…" Haru muttered.

Minako smiled at him. "You get used to the fact that Akito-kun can be nice. Trust me."

"Akito, how come you were never that nice to me? You could have stroked my cheek when I stubbed my knee that one time when we were eight!" Haru huffed, crossing his arms in a pout.

The young Uchiha looked at his friend in slight horror. "You're a boy! Not only is that gay, but I didn't even like you that much back then. Besides, Natsumi is the only one deserving of such attention from me." He responded, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her against his body for emphasis.

"I'm just saying!" he rolled his eyes. Natsumi nuzzled into his hold.

"Thank you for your help Haru, but we really need to be going." Natsumi said, pulling from Akito's grip and heading for the door. Minako hugged the young Inuzuka to show her appreciation and then followed her friends out of the tower. As they walked down the main street, Minako halted in her steps, a faraway look coming to her eyes then. She could smell it. That delicious aroma of Ichiraku's ramen was calling to her.

Akito and Natsumi stopped and turned around, seeing the odd look on the Hyuuga's face. "Minako?" Natsumi called, wondering what on earth had come over her friend.

Not even hearing her name being called, she looked off to the right, as if seeing through the other buildings and streets to where the ramen stand was located. "Ramen…" she murmured longingly. Akito groaned minutely.

"Damnit I forgot about that." He muttered.

"Oh ho, ho, ho, ho no." Natsumi said, walking up to the other woman and beginning to drag her towards the Uchiha district. "We don't have time for this."

With a strength Natsumi didn't know the girl possessed, she began to drag her in the direction of Ichiraku. "Just one bowl. One!" she pleaded. Akito grabbed her other arm and assisted in taking her back towards his house.

"No Minako. You could put us all in jeopardy. The owner knows you and your eating habits, and you'll be careless and let something slip. Besides, we don't have time to waste." He said.

"But I must have some ramen! Please! I haven't had any in over three months! _Three_ _months_!" she said, raising her voice slightly as she struggled against them.

"No!" they both yelled together, successfully dragging her all the way back to the Uchiha prefecture. Akito opened the secret passage and all three of their henges disappeared. They had to pull her the entire way back until they found a torch lit part of the tunnel. Satomi stepped forward and sighed with relief.

"I'm glad you guys are ok. Let's get out of here." She said. Kyo nodded and pushed the door to the tunnel open and they all went back into the forest.

Toshiro glanced down and quirked an eyebrow. "Why are you pulling Minako?"

"She wanted some ramen from Ichiraku and we wouldn't let her get any, because it would waste time." Akito explained, letting go of her. Natsumi did the same. Minako just giggled and pulled a bowl of steaming ramen from some unknown hidden location on her person.

"It's okay, I got some anyways!" she said, beaming to the baffled group.

"Where did you get that?" Natsumi gasped, a bit horrified.

She stood, twisting the chopsticks around the noodles, readying her first bite. "Well as you were dragging me I happened to see this man with some ramen and it just happened to be my favorite flavor. I couldn't help myself." She attempted to eat it but felt Natsumi try to rip it away. "NO! My ramen!" Minako actually shrieked. The two fought back and forth until it slipped from their grip and tumbled onto the forest floor.

Gasping, a look of complete horror etched into her beautiful features, Minako dragged her hands down her face. "WHY?" she yelled, tears forming in her eyes. Then her head tilted to the side. It wasn't spilt _that_ badly. She might even be able to salvage most of it.

Seeing her lower down, Toshiro went wide eyed. "Minako." He scolded, grabbing her arm before she could descend anymore. "If you eat that off the ground I am never kissing you again. That's disgusting and totally unhygienic." He said seriously. When she looked as if she didn't comprehend what he was saying he put it in straight terms. "It's either your ramen or me."

Her blue eyes widened slightly, and she looked from the redhead, to her ramen, back at him, and then to the ramen again in indecision. She loved both of them, but she hadn't had ramen in so long. Perhaps Toshiro was kidding, he would never be so cruel as to make her choose.

"Oh my god." He gaped, releasing his hold on her. "Oh my god! I can't believe this." he started walking off then. Natsumi and Satomi just stared wide eyed after him and then back down at Minako. Even they were speechless from the young Uzumaki's behavior.

Eyes widening even more, Minako ran after the redhead. "Wait, Toshiro! I didn't even pick yet!" she said, placing her hand on his arm.

He jerked it away from her and focused forward. "Exactly Minako, I can't believe you were really mulling that over in your mind. But its fine, we'll get you some ramen and you can live happily ever after."

She halted, a look of hurt entering her eyes. "No…I don't want any ramen." She said, looking to the ground as she moved some dirt around with her foot. Toshiro snorted and glared at her lightly.

"We both know that's a lie." He said, looking forward once more. Her brow furrowed, knowing that what he said was true. But, now that she really thought about it, and her mind wasn't clouded in a ramen induced haze, she walked in front of him, clasping her hands behind her back and tilting her head back so that she could see into his eyes.

"Toshiro, I…like you a lot more than ramen." She said softly, a blush coming to her cheeks. Akito was honestly startled, because that was one step below her admitting that she was in love with the redhead, if not one above it. Minako did love her ramen after all.

He didn't look convinced, but it wasn't in him to stay mad at anyone for very long, none the less someone he really liked. But it had really hurt his feelings, not that he would admit it or anything but it had. And he didn't realize just how much of a confession that was. Natsumi stared sadly at her brother. She could feel how he felt and Satomi just looked at Minako before turning to her sister and brother in law. "So what did you guys find out?"

Turning his gaze away from Toshiro and Minako, and promising himself he would better explain Minako's words to the redhead, Akito said, "It was Lightning that set it up. They had asked Mist to help start the next ninja war, but Mist declined. We aren't sure if Lightning was also behind the poisoning, but it's most likely. If they started the whole thing and know that we're investigating it, then they'll want us out of the way." Then he looked at Kyo. "And your stupid grandfather has everyone thinking that Natsumi and I kidnapped you and Satomi."

"What?" the blonde asked, startled. "But I left a note."

"Haru says that they must not have found it." Natsumi chimed in.

Satomi grumbled, "Just how reliable is this Haru person?"

"Very. He knows everything there is to know about everyone and everything. Trust me." Akito said.

"He knew Akito and I got married and that Itachi was alive." Natsumi continued.

"Oh, weird." Satomi said.

The twins nodded together. "We should get going." Akito said.

Natsumi looked over at her brother and Minako and neither looked very happy. Toshiro walked back to them, a solemn look settling on his face. "Yeah let's go."

They all jumped into the trees then, Akito and Natsumi taking the lead, Toshiro, Satomi, and Kyo in the center and Minako as the rear. The ebony haired woman almost wished that she would get kidnapped. Anything to save her from the complete sadness she was feeling in that moment.

As dusk began to settle, it started to rain lightly. Minako could tell that it was going to get worse, and told Akito such. She located a cave that they could stay in for the night that was located near the border of Fire on the way to Lightning. Once everyone was inside the cave, they began to unload. "I'm going to get firewood." Minako announced, heading back out into the downpour.

Akito took his cloak off and shook it out. Hanging it up to dry, he looked over at the redhead. "Toshiro, can I have a word with you?" he asked, gesturing with his head to the mouth of the cave, where the others wouldn't be able to hear them.

He looked at the Uchiha, a stoic expression covering his face. He walked towards the front of the cave where Akito was, both hearing Natsumi announce she would take the first watch, since she and her siblings could go without sleep without it affecting their stamina. Toshiro stopped in front of Akito and gave him a questioning look. "What?" he was in no mood to talk to anyone.

"You need to go talk to Minako, before you damage your relationship with her." Akito told him.

"Before _I_ damage my relationship with her?" he glared, his anger sparking.

"Yes. I know she hurt your feelings with the whole ramen thing, but she didn't mean to. And then she practically said that she loved you, and you didn't say a thing." The young Uchiha said, crossing his arms.

The redhead stared at him, looking far beyond his boiling point. "What the hell are you talking about? She didn't say anything of the sort."

Akito let out a sigh. "You have to understand. Naruto, Minako's father, loves ramen. It's the center of his being. She happened to inherit that, except that her love for ramen isn't as ridiculous. You thought she was bad in the forest? It would have been much worse had it been her father instead of her. He wouldn't have been able to last as long as she had without the stupid noodles. But I digress. When she said that she liked you more than ramen, which was about as close to a confession of love you can get from her, if not more. Minako has never said that to anyone before, no matter how deeply she cares for them. The fact that she said it to you was a huge thing for her. And then to have you not say a thing to her afterwards? She's probably out there, in that storm, crying because she doesn't think you like her anymore." He said, gesturing outside as lightning flashed followed by a bang of thunder, as if to emphasize his point.

He glanced out the mouth of the cave and then back to Akito. "That is completely idiotic." He said simply, walking away from the Uchiha. He stopped by all their things and pulled out a rain cloak, fastening it around himself and then pulling up the hood so he wouldn't get wet. He left the cave then, getting odd looks from everyone.

"Where is he going?" Natsumi asked, looking back at her husband.

"He's going to go talk to Minako." Akito said, moving to help her set up their pallets.

* * *

Minako sniffled, jumping slightly as another wave of thunder came. She really hated storms. But she was going to stay out here as long as necessary without it being suspicious, in an attempt to avoid Toshiro. She was miserable. If he had at least looked at her, or even hinted that he was no longer upset, she would be okay. But he hadn't said a word, and she knew that he was still angry. She could just tell. And so, she had volunteered to go out into the storm and retrieve whatever dry firewood she could find. She had a nice little bundle so far, but wanted to get some more to last the rest of the night.

Lightning flashed then, causing her to let out a startled noise and straighten from shock. She pulled down the hood to her waterproof cloak in an attempt to shield herself from the storm. A tear rolled down her cheek, and she quickly wiped it away. She wouldn't cry. It wasn't like she had said outright that she loved him. But she did. Perhaps it was her own fault, falling in love with him after only a month and a half. Although she was on her way down that path when they had first went on their date. After gathering a few more sticks, she turned and slowly began to make her way back to the cave. She stopped when she sensed another chakra presence, and soon Toshiro came into view. Sniffling once more, she tried to quell her trembling and prayed that her eyes weren't too watery from the tears that wanted so badly to fall.

Toshiro didn't even hesitate when he saw her. He wasn't one to play with words and he preferred straight talk. He stopped only when he was about to foot away from her, seeing her halted movements. "You upset me."

Her brow furrowed, and she wasn't sure if she should be confused or angry. She chose angry, since it would be easier to vent her feelings that way. "Well…you upset me." She said in return.

"You upset me first." He glared.

"You upset me more." She crossed her arms as much as she could with the load of wood she was carrying.

"You actually considered ramen that was on the floor to me."

"But I wasn't going to pick it. And you didn't say a thing when I said…" she stopped then, her cheeks reddening as she thought about what she was going to say. "When I said…that I loved you." She mumbled, looking down at the ground in her embarrassment.

His anger slowly faded, but he just looked uncaring. But it was only because he didn't really know how to react. "You didn't say you loved me. I suppose you did in a weird way, but I've known you hardly a year. And I'm not really good at seeing the hidden meaning in things."

She looked back up at him. "Well I do. A lot." Her bottom lip trembled, and a tear slid down her right cheek. She wiped it away quickly, angry at herself for crying in front of him.

He stepped forward and pulled the wood from her hands, tossing it to the ground. He took her face in his hands and leaned down, pressing his lips against hers. "You are so silly Minako. If you had just said something as simple as that, you would not have gotten sad. I care for you so deeply, that I am positive it is love." He told her, resting his forehead on hers.

Her face lit up at the news, and she threw her arms around his shoulders and kissed him deeply. Pulling away slightly, she said, "I'm sorry, I was nervous. But I want you to know, that if this treaty doesn't work between our villages…I would leave mine for you. And, the knowledge that I would go that far, it scares me a little. Because I always do as I'm told and I always follow the rules." She admitted, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.

He looked down at her sadly, "Minako, I know what you say is true and it makes me happy, but you and I both know…if we cannot prove Konoha's innocence and make some sort of alliance between our villages that neither of us would truly be completely happy." He didn't want her to misunderstand what he was trying to say. If it came down to it, he would choose her over the village, but a life without their families seemed sad and he knew it must be true for her as well. "Look at Akito and Natsumi, if it was really possible to live like that, on the run, they wouldn't be trying to clear Leaf's name…"

She nodded, placing her forehead against his. "I know." She said softly, looking into his beautiful eyes. "I've never felt like this before, and I can't bear the thought of losing you, I just hate that this war could keep us apart."

"Well, with any luck this will begin to ease the tensions and Konoha and Suna can be allies again." He tried to sooth her sadness. He wanted her to be happy, even if their time together didn't last forever.

A small smile made its way to her face. He was right, they needed to think positively. And she didn't want to be sad if these were going to be the last few moments she spent with the redhead. But before she could say anything more, there was another flash of lightning, followed by a clap of thunder, and she found herself gripping Toshiro tightly around his neck and her body pressed against him, her face buried into the crook of his neck. "I hate storms." She muttered into his neck, still too frightened to let go instantly.

"I know," he said soothingly, rubbing her back to try and put her at ease. "I could tell. So let's get back to the cave." He smiled softly, releasing her and picking up the wood, shifting it into one arm as he took Minako's hand with his free one. He led her back to the place they were staying, both shaking off the rain from their cloaks.

In their absence everything had been set up, the only thing left was the fire. Akito took the wood from Toshiro and set it in their makeshift fire pit. Then he did a small fire jutsu to light the damp sticks. Minako looked at him strangely.

"Why did you set up a tent in the middle of a cave?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

Kyo stopped in taking off his wet shoes and looked at her like she was crazy. "Really? Knowing what those two do at night, you want them to sleep out here with us?" he asked, causing the ebony haired woman to blush.

"Oh." Was all she said, taking her cloak off and hanging it on the clothesline that was set up. It wouldn't do to travel in wet clothes after all.

"A tent would actually be warmer. I'll put up another one, if you don't mind sharing Minako." Toshiro said smartly, pulling out the second of the three tents they had brought along with them.

"Of course not." She said with a smile, going to help him set it up. Kyo looked over at Satomi.

"Do you want to put up the last one?" he asked her, not wanting to be considered thoughtless or rude.

She gave him a small smile and nodded, "It does sound more comfortable."

He rose and set up the final tent. When he was finished Toshiro and Minako had already retired to theirs and Akito to his and Natsumi's. Following Satomi inside with their bedrolls, he laid them next to one another. Then he pulled his shirt off and tossed it into the corner before getting inside his. Satomi sat next to him and pulled her hair loose of its braid, shaking her head a bit. Somewhat hesitantly, Kyo reached over and ran his fingers through her long hair. "Not that your hair isn't always beautiful, but it's even more so when you wear it down." He said softly, giving her a tender smile.

She looked at him innocently, allowing his touch. It actually felt good to have him run his hands through her hair. "My sister says long hair is inconvenient and it gets in the way. But I have to admit…when she said she was keeping hers short I wanted to grow mine out…I wanted to be different from her. Distinguished. You know? I didn't want to be a pair anymore."

He nodded, continuing his actions. "I think yours I prettier, just as you are. Natsumi would get angry should she ever hear me say that, but it's true. You're beautiful Satomi." He said, stroking her cheek with his knuckles before lowering his hand.

"You're very nice…" she said softly, taking his hand in hers. "And it makes me happy…to hear you say those things. Even if it upsets my sister." She actually let another smile spread across her face. It seemed that he was getting better and better at making her repeat the action. "I'm glad…I said yes to marrying you." She said seriously, meeting her hazel gaze with her pale jade.

He smiled brightly at her. "So am I. I will admit that when my grandfather proposed the marriage I was for it only because I had seen Natsumi and knew that her twin had to be at least as beautiful as she was. And then, when I saw you enter the gates to Iwa, I knew that Akito had lied to me, as had everyone else. Because, you're the most exquisite thing I've ever seen in my entire life, and sometimes I have to remind myself how lucky I am that you agreed to stay with me." He admitted, rubbing the back of his head in slight embarrassment.

For the first time, Satomi looked completely vulnerable. There was a small blush on her cheeks and she looked truly in awe. "People think Natsumi is more beautiful, because she looks better splattered in blood. Her viciousness is what I think people find attractive…but…I just like to help people. I'm a medic. I'd rather heal people than kill them…" she took his hand in hers slowly and got up on her knees leaning a bit closer to him. "You are…very perfect for my personality." She whispered, looking extremely nervous. Their faces were only inches apart now. His hand came back up and he gently cupped her cheek, stroking it slowly with his thumb. He looked from her eyes to her lips, and back again, before closing the distance between them and placing his lips over hers in a soft kiss.

She pressed closer to him, adding a bit more pressure to their kiss. It was simple and sweet, nothing hidden behind it for either of them. They pulled away, once the need for air set in and stared at each other for a while. "Well…" Satomi finally began, "we should probably head to bed. We have to get up early."

Kyo smirked slightly. "Like I'm going to be able to sleep now." He teased, stroking her cheek once more before laying down. She lay down as well, giving him a skeptical glance.

"Oh how come?" she arched a brow. "It was just a kiss." She snickered a bit deviously.

Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulled her against his chest as he leaned over her a bit. "Now, now dearest, there's no need to make fun. But for your information, I have been patiently waiting three months for that kiss. So excuse me for getting a little excited." He said, nuzzling her neck before placing his head on his pillow. She giggled softly, looking up at him and curling against his warm body.

"Ok, ok. I'm sorry." She said, resting her head on his chest. She closed her eyes and let out a content sigh. "Good night Kyo."

"Goodnight Satomi."


	42. Separation

**Magnetism**

_Chapter Forty-Two_

-Separation-

"Alright everyone get up! It's time to go, I got some breakfast out so eat up and then we're off." Satomi called, walking over to her brother and Minako's tent. She pulled down the zipper and looked, in seeing her brother sit up and rub at his eyes.

"Ok, ok. We'll get up." He yawned, leaning back on the palms of his hands. Minako sat up and yawned as well, looking really worn out. She was tired of sleeping on the ground already. She missed her bed in Iwa.

Satomi stopped at Akito and Natsumi's tent and unzipped it quickly. "Get up. Now and not in ten minutes after a quickie. Now." She ordered, making Natsumi look up and scratch her messy hair.

"What?"

"Just get up." The elder twin growled, leaving them. Natsumi rubbed her face and looked down at her husband.

"Wake up baby." She called, rubbing his leg.

Akito let out a groan and rolled over, wrapping his arm around her legs, acting as if he was still asleep, although the languid smile on his face gave him away. "Your sister is such a harpy." He complained, nuzzling her thigh.

She smiled and ran her fingers through his dark locks. "That's just cause' she's never had sex yet." She snickered.

He cracked an eye open and smiled up at her. "True, but Kyo doesn't strike me as the type of man to sleep with his fiancé and then get married. He just isn't as suave as I am." He sat up so that he was leaning over her and kissed her on the lips. She kissed him back, lifting her hand up and touching his cheek gently.

"No one is," she snickered, scooting closer to him and pressing her nose against his. "I love you."

"I love you too." He murmured, bringing a hand up and running his thumb across her cheek tenderly. "Come, I don't want Satomi to come back and ruin my morning with her yelling." He said, rising from their pallet and holding a hand down to her. She placed her hand in his and got up. They dressed quickly and then walked out. Natsumi looked around as Akito started to pack up the tent.

"Okay." She clapped her hands together, getting the attention of the others. "Now I want to be in Lightning by this afternoon. The faster we all get this over with, the faster we can all go home and sleep in beds."

"Man I miss beds." Toshiro sighed, along with Minako. They had been out in tents more than the others, and they really weren't looking forward to more of it.

"Once we pass the border to Lightning I think we can stop and rest since we'll be traveling nonstop."

Satomi nodded and picked up her pack, replacing it on her back. "Sounds fine to me." Toshiro did the same and used the time to stretch. The group headed out then, travelling as fast as they could without anyone falling behind, since Akito and Natsumi were faster than the others. They bounded off the trees and Natsumi pulled out a folded sheet of paper from her pouch. She unfolded the map and looked at it, trying to find out where they were, since they had been running for a few hours now.

She moved closer to Akito and tilted the map towards him. "Where do you think we are? Are we in Fire anymore?"

He shook his head. "Not for long." He said, pointing to a spot on the map. "We're right on the border of Fire and some uncharted lands between Fire and Lightning. If we keep going at this rate, we'll be there before midnight." She nodded and folded it back up, stuffing it in her pouch.

They continued forward, and it seemed to be taking forever since she couldn't just run ahead with Akito. It was late in the afternoon, and she felt her stomach rumble. Satomi sighed. "I think that's an indicator to take a quick break and eat something."

"Yeah probably."

Minako went wide eyed. "Natsumi-chan! Akito-kun! Stop!" she yelled, only a bit too late. They both looked back and landed on a branch with an explosive tag on it. The second the weight shifted there was a loud boom and a blinding light. They two fell down to the ground, hitting it hard but rolling back to their feet.

"What the heck!"

"It's an ambush." Toshiro called to them, grabbing Minako around the waist and jumping off to the side as a few kunai flew at them with explosive tags. Kyo grabbed Satomi by the wrist and pulled her behind him, quickly blocking and redirecting the explosive kunai that had been sent their way.

"Minako, can you see where they are?" Akito asked, pulling out a kunai and looking around the area with his red eyes.

"I can't see anyone!" she yelled frantically. "I know they're there, but for some reason I can't see them with my Byakugan!"

Natsumi and Toshiro looked at one another and nodded. "Well if you can't see it." Natsumi sighed.

"Then it's time to feel it." Toshiro pulled Minako with him as they landed on the ground. "Make sure you stay with someone." He ordered them all, pushing Minako towards Akito. Natsumi stopped at her brother's side and both made a string of hand signs before outstretching their fingers and closing their eyes. The area began to swarm and sand surged in from all over, making the effects of a sand storm. Akito and Minako covered their eyes, trying not to let the grains irritate them. Kyo did the same, but Satomi just looked around. She pulled up her gloves so they were tight and lowered into an offensive stance. "There!" both Toshiro and Natsumi yelled. Satomi felt the shift of the sand and jumped forward, bounding off a tree branch and pulling her fist back.

It collided with something hard and the being flew back, breaking through five trees. She followed after the object and landed down beside it, ripping off the cloak that had seals along the inside, making him virtually invisible with it on. She picked him up by the shirt and walked him back to the group as the sand died down and surrounded its masters. "Found him." The elder twin said solemnly, holding him out to the others.

Natsumi reached out to take him as Akito, Minako, and Kyo joined them. The man started laughing, ripping off his shirt to reveal a very high level explosive seal, with clay wrapping around his body. "Die!" he yelled. The tags started to brighten and the explosion came before any of them could move.

The last thing they knew they were falling from hundreds of feet in the air back towards the earth. Natsumi groaned and looked around, seeing Minako close to her. "Minako! Take my hand!" she ordered, stretching to her. The dark haired woman grabbed it quickly and sand surrounded the two in a protective ball.

Toshiro used his sand to wrap around Kyo's ankle and pull him closer. They disappeared in a wisp and appeared on the ground. Akito made a few hand signs and summoned Kei. He landed on the bird's back and looked up just in time to see Satomi falling. He gripped onto the bird and ordered him to fly. They surged towards Satomi and he grabbed her hand, dragging her up onto the bird with him. She stared up at him wide eyed and looked around the sky. "Where is everyone?" she asked, since they were nowhere to be seen.

"They must have already fallen to the earth. Don't worry, I'm sure they're fine." He said as the bird made a sweep of the area just to be sure. They landed, and he dismissed the large hawk. "I can't sense Natsumi's chakra anywhere nearby. Or Toshiro's, for that matter. What about you?" he asked, looking to the pink haired woman. He had only searched for those two because they had the largest amounts, and would be the easiest to find. Find them, and then they could just use their sand to find the other two.

She looked around, brushing her bangs from her face. "No, not even Natsumi. They must have all fallen really far."

He sighed and placed his hands on his hips. "Well, we may as well head to the designated resting spot in Lightning that we picked out earlier. I'm sure that's where everyone else will go, so we can meet up there."

"Yeah that's probably a good idea." She looked around then and sighed. Now this was really, really awkward. She'd never actually been alone with the Uchiha before. Not really knowing what to do himself, Akito began to walk in the direction of Lightning. Satomi followed wordlessly. This was just weird. He liked silence, but not uncomfortable ones. So, figuring that he should try and be nice to her, since they were related, he said,

"So…you're getting married soon. To Kyo."

"Yeah."

"Do you even like him?" he asked, turning his head to look at her as they trekked through the underbrush. "You don't seem all that excited. I mean, when Minako and I were arranged to be married she was at least happy about planning her own wedding."

"What makes you think I'm not happy?" she looked at him curiously.

"Are you happy?" he asked in response. "I'm not really good with understanding how women think, so you're going to have to elaborate a bit. For the most part I only understand Natsumi." He admitted.

She finally tore her gaze away and looked off into the forest, crossing her arms. "How exactly do you understand her? You don't even know her."

"I don't fully understand her, but when it comes to only being looked at as a weapon and something to be used for the village to kill the enemy, I do." He said softly, looking ahead. "And I can read her feelings pretty easily, especially since we've been together for over three months. I don't know how to explain it exactly, but it's like we understand each other on a deeper level. Sounds stupid now that I think about it."

"It doesn't sound stupid." She shrugged. "That's probably why she likes you. Because you're the only person who does look past that whole weapon thing."

"Why is she treated that way? I mean, initially for me it was because of who my father is and the fact that I'm an Uchiha. Then when I developed the Sharingan even earlier than my Uncle Itachi, the Elders took a whole new interest in me." He said.

"Well…" she stopped, glancing at him. "I don't really know if I should tell you. I mean if she hasn't said anything about it, she probably doesn't want you to know."

Akito glared, but it wasn't directed at her. "If it's because of some stupid idea that I won't love her if I know the truth she really needs to get over it. Nothing she does or says could change the way I feel about her."

"Please Akito, Suna is a lot different than Konoha." She waved her hand in the air dismissively. "My mom and dad didn't want us to be used as weapons so they protected Toshiro from the council. But they didn't really think they would use my sister or me since we only got one trait each." She explained, thinking back on it now made her sad. "She was always really happy, but then she started getting asked to train with some of the Black Ops teachers. Most likely because she had the more deadly trait."

He looked at her suspiciously. "What kind of training did they make her do?" he asked. He had undergone Black Ops training, and it was brutal. Both physically, mentally, and emotionally.

"Well," she scratched. "I don't really know everything, some things she never even told me about. But I do know that when she was seven that they made her execute the prisoners of war."

"Hm." He looked to the ground and thought about what Satomi had just told him. That meant that about a year after he met her she had been forced to become a killer. That was even before when the Elders made him kill the prisoners.

"They just kept manipulating her and manipulating her until she finally believed everything she was doing was for the good of the village and that it was what my mom and dad wanted." She continued, actually looking sad. "She started losing her grip on reality because all she saw was red and then there was the massacre of that village. She would act all tough and invincible on the field and she was. She really was a good ninja. Untouchable. She never let anything happen to me or Toshiro. She protected Suna, but she would cry at night. All the time."

"Something like that can really damage a person. I would know." He commented, sadness showing on his face as well. If only he could have protected her from them. But even if he had been strong enough to, their warring villages would have prevented him. Life was just so unfair at times.

Satomi halted and looked up at him, "I do have something to say to you."

He stopped as well and looked at her curiously. "What is it?"

"I am sorry."

When he looked confused she sighed. "I'm sorry for giving my father those plans."

He shrugged. "Don't be. I probably would have done the same had the situation been reversed. And quite frankly, I haven't exactly given you a reason to like me. So don't worry about it."

"That's not all." She looked down and focused on a piece of grass. "I know you've never given me a reason to like you, but you didn't really give me a reason to hate you either. When my sister was being trained and sharpened into Suna's weapon…when she was crying at night she would talk to herself, saying things like how she hoped he wouldn't be disappointed in her or disgusted. I found her diary one time and it was filled with thoughts about you. Even though you only met once…I think you helped her keep her sanity."

He gave her a contemplative look. "When we met that day, she told me she was going to become a powerful ninja so that she could fight alongside me." They walked in silence for a while, until he looked at her again. "I don't think you're ugly, by the way. But the frown doesn't do anything to help your appearance, and it isn't good for the muscles in your face. It will make you wrinkle earlier." He teased, smiling slightly. After all, he couldn't be completely nice to her, that was just insane.

She laughed and shook her head. "To you, I am ugly. Trust me, it's okay. I never quite understood until I met Kyo why you thought that. But he thinks Natsumi is weird looking. I guess love blinds people." She said simply. "Besides. I just don't smile. I can't, or at least, it's really hard to. I don't really see a lot of point to smile in such a sad world."

"I suppose you have a point. I never really smiled until I met Natsumi that second time." He raised a brow at her. "So, do you love Kyo? I won't say anything, it's not my place. I'm just curious."

She let her eyes close and continued ahead. "Why do you care? If I did or didn't would not make a difference. It makes the world a little bit better and ends at least some of the fighting."

He shrugged even though she couldn't see it. "I don't know. You're not as bad as I thought you were I suppose. And I do care…microscopically." He said, holding up two of his fingers a centimeter apart to emphasize his point.

She laughed, stopping once they were on a small beach. "I don't know honestly. He makes my heart smile." She said, since it was really the only way she knew how to describe how she felt about the blonde. She looked at the body of water in front of them and then the land off in the distance. It wasn't too far away. They were on the south side of a gulf that opened to the east. "We could always just go across the water and cut the travel time in half. That is Lightning right there." She pointed across the water to the other side of land in the north.

"Yeah. Then we can come up with a plan in order to infiltrate their city while we wait for the others." He said, starting across. "I'm not an expert, but I would say that you love him. If someone is good enough to make your heart smile and warm when they are around, it's love." He told her. He was glad she wasn't afraid of the water like Natsumi was, otherwise this trip would be a lot worse.

"Is that how the brave, cold Uchiha Akito feels when his lady is around?" she snickered teasingly. Maybe the man wasn't too bad after all. "When Natsumi smiles?" she poked both her fingers to her cheeks and pushed them up to make a taunting smile. She ran off then, onto the water, pushing chakra into the soles of her feet. She truly laughed and didn't even realize she was smiling. "Uchiha Akito goes weak in the knees for his little lovely Natsumi!"

He glared at her, but his cheeks were tinted pink at the truth in her words. He walked by her then, and skimmed his foot across the surface of the water, causing it to spray in Satomi's direction and splash her with water. He began to laugh at the look on her face, truly smiling. She reminded him so much of Natsumi in that moment, that he supposed he could learn to like having her for a sister-in-law.

"Uchiha!" she gasped, splashing him back with water. "You will pay for that injustice!" she declared, smirking evilly, kicking up water at him. It splashed right in his face, blinding him for only a moment. A hand shot out from the water and grabbed onto Satomi's ankle. She gasped loudly as she was pulled under. "Akito!" she yelled, before being submerged completely.

Rubbing the salty water out of his eyes, Akito looked around and saw that Satomi was gone. Cursing under his breath, he dove under the water, and saw her being dragged away. Before he could swim after them, four large sharks came at him, most likely summons from one of the enemy ninja. He drew his sword and began to fight the beasts, but when he killed one it stained the water in blood, making it harder to see. By the time all of the animals were dead, Satomi was nowhere to be found. He couldn't even sense her chakra. Swimming up to the top, he shook the water off his head and yelled, "Damnit!" Then he raced towards the meeting spot, praying that she was okay, and that the others were already there so they could look for her. Because he was going to get hell from both Kyo and Toshiro for losing her.

* * *

"I don't see anyone around, and I can't sense anything." Minako said, looking around the forest where they had fallen.

Natsumi sighed, "This sucks! What are we going to do? We've been wandering around for hours and we can't even find a road."

"We could try heading towards that place we designated to rest at. If I know Akito-kun, he's headed there." The ebony haired woman suggested.

"True. But which way is that? I don't even know what direction we're going in."

Minako looked around with her byakugan, and then back at her map that she had pulled out a while ago. "I think we need to go in this direction." She said, pointing off to the side. "There's a familiar landmark, so if we're going the right way we should see the ocean pretty soon." Natsumi frowned, trying not to show her discomfort with the mention of the water.

"Okay." She said, following after Minako since she apparently knew where she was going. "I wonder what that psycho wanted, going after us like that."

"Probably wanted to kill us. Just like everybody else." She said softly. She couldn't understand why people were so mean, but had gotten used to it since they were at war.

"I know, but something just feels off about it. Don't you think?" she tapped her chin and replayed the whole situation in her head. She closed her eyes and thought deeply. She sensed it too late, her eyes flashed open and before she could react something that looked like water vines wrapped around her and pulled her back into a large sphere of water, being maintained by a man with bright yellow hair. Natsumi gagged as she tried to breath. She slammed her hands against the edges of the sphere trying to break free, but her attempts did nothing.

Minako ran at the man, pulling back her open palm but tripped, at least she thought she tripped. A trap snagged and hoisted her into the air by her leg. Another man, one with darker hair, jumped down from the trees and wrapped more of the rope around her. It must have been special, because she could feel her chakra being drained all over her body. He cut Minako down from the tree and caught her tied form in his arms. "Heh, I knew waiting would be worth it. Women, when they get talking they don't pay attention."

"I'm just glad they didn't have the Uchiha with them. Or the Kazekage's son. And have you heard about the Tsuchikage's grandson? Either of them might have given us a run for our money." The blonde sighed, and began to pull the water dome with him.

"I hope Kein didn't have too much trouble with retrieving the other one." Minako struggled in the man's grasp, but couldn't speak any of the things she was thinking because he had gagged her with the rope. The man looked down at her and smirked, seeing her glare. "Oh don't worry sweetheart, you'll get to see your boyfriend soon enough." Then he hit a nerve in her shoulder, effectively knocking her out.

* * *

Toshiro tried breathing in and out to keep his cool. Kyo just _never_ shut up. He looked over at the blonde he was walking with, amazed at how long he could talk without taking a breath. "So I said to the guy," he continued. "I don't know how you got that tattoo, but it sure wasn't from a kitty cat!" he busted out laughing then, making Toshiro's eye twitch.

"But yeah. That was how I narrowly got out of that bar alive. You would never suspect that a woman could do _that_ with her foot. I mean WOW, who would have thought right? Though I do have to say, I've been looking forward to bedding Satomi. Hiding beneath all that silence is a tom cat, I just know it."

"Okay!" Toshiro finally interrupted. "Not that I didn't like where that conversation was going, why don't we focus on getting to the rendezvous point? Alright?"

The blonde shrugged. "Sure, although I don't see what the big deal is. I mean, you can't tell me you haven't been wondering about Minako. It's always the quiet shy ones that are the real animals in bed you know. At least, that's what they say." He said, wagging a finger at the redhead.

"No. I can honestly say I have not thought about that. I respect her far too much to allow myself to place those images in my head." He snapped, crossing his arms stubbornly. "And I don't want a freak anyways. I would want to make love, nice and beautiful. Not like my crazy sister and Akito who seemed to be able to pull foreplay ideas from nowhere."

"Well I heard his sensei is a real perv and reads those books, Make Out Paradise? Yeah. So that's probably where Akito gets his ideas." The blonde said. "But I grow tired of this subject. We should talk about something else."

Toshiro rolled his eyes and walked faster, since they were almost where they had planned to stop. They had already passed the border some time ago and it was getting rather late. The redhead actually felt a wave of relief when he saw Akito leaning against a tree. Thank god, someone other than this annoying blonde. "Akito." Toshiro said happily as he stopped in front of the man. "Glad to see you're alright and made it." He frowned then, noting his friend's dark demeanor. "What's wrong?"

"I lost Satomi." He said. Kyo's carefree grin faded into one of shock. Then it turned into a hateful glare.

"You what?" he yelled, startling both men.

Akito ran his hand down his face and let out a sigh. "I lost Satomi. We were headed here, and came upon the ocean. It was quicker to just cross the water than go around, so that's what we did. Then we sorta had a water fight, and I got saltwater in my eyes. Next thing I knew someone grabbed her ankle and took her underwater. So I dove in after her, but before I could get her they summoned all these sharks. By the time I had dealt with those, she was gone without a trace. Trust me, I searched the whole area."

"How could you be so careless Uchiha? That's my fiancé you lost!" the blonde yelled. Akito glared and pushed away from the tree until they were face to face.

"It's not like I didn't try okay! I did everything I could to find her! And when I couldn't, I came here, hoping to meet up with one of you so we could broaden our search." He explained.

"Bullshit! You could have tried harder! If it was your precious little Natsumi you wouldn't have even come here! You would have torn that area apart and tracked her down!" he shouted, growing angrier and lunging at Akito. Toshiro grabbed him and held him back, but it did not make him stop in his attempts. "Don't preach to me like you tried your best when you know it isn't!"

"Better to come here and get you then run off and leave you wondering what the hell is going on! Had it been Natsumi and one of you, I would want you to get me so that I could aid in the search instead of being left in the dark!" Akito yelled.

Kyo stopped struggling at Akito's words, seeing his point, and broke from Toshiro's grasp. He walked up to the ebony haired man and held a finger in his face. "If there is so much as one scratch on my woman, I'm going to kill you Uchiha. Got it? Painfully." He threatened, his voice dangerously low.

"Yeah, I got it." Akito said with a nod. Then he looked to Toshiro. "Where is Natsumi anyways? Have you sensed her nearby?" he asked.

"I don't know. I haven't been able to sense her all day." He shrugged. "I assumed she would eventually figure out to meet here. But I guess not. I sure hope Minako is okay though. I'm surprised they aren't here yet, we landed pretty far back."

Akito began to pace. "Minako would know to come here, so she should be here by now. And with her speed, if she were alone, so would Natsumi. Something's happened to them." He said, stopping in his tracks.

"Do you think there was more than just that suicide bomber earlier? If they saw us get split up, then naturally they would go for the women first." Kyo said.

"That wouldn't make any sense Kyo. If they went after them first, then they still would have tried to get Akito. Maybe…" he paused and scratched his head. "Maybe they were just going after the girls and knew they wouldn't be able to get them if all three of us were there. Not to mention they probably caught a huge break when Akito and Satomi were on the water. I think the only person fast enough to outrun Akito is Natsumi herself."

"And if Minako and Natsumi were with each other, it is likely that they got talking and distracted. All one would need to subdue Natsumi is water-style jutsu after all, and if Minako is caught off guard it wouldn't be too difficult to catch her either." Akito pointed out.

Kyo nodded. "Then what we need to do is try and figure out where to look for them, find them, save them, and kill the bastards that took them."

"If only it were that easy." The young Uchiha said, letting out a sigh. By now he was sure someone in the heavens hated him. Deeply.

Toshiro tensed. "Well Akito. I think you're right about them getting Natsumi with water. Because she suddenly appeared." He took off then into the trees, and headed deeper into Lightning. Akito and Kyo took after the redhead, following him through the forest and to a small clearing. The redhead stopped and looked around, closing his eyes and focusing. It was so faint but it was definitely her and her sand.

He started off again, dashing through the trees until he stopped, looking at a fairly large hill. There was a small opening at the base and the three continued in, slowing their pace as it darkened. Kyo searched around and picked up a large stick. "Akito will you light this?" he asked. The Uchiha made a few hand signs and ignited the wood. Light illuminated the cave and they continued once more. The tunnel started to widen until finally they were in a massive underground room. There was light streaming in from one spot on the ceiling and torches along all the walls, giving it a dangerous but warm look.

Toshiro stopped and went wide eyed. There in the small spot the sunlight were Natsumi, Satomi, and Minako. All three of them were hanging from a tree root that was stretching across the ceiling. Their hands were tied together and held them suspended above the ground. They each had cloth covering their mouths, gagging them. That was when he noticed something sparkling on their foreheads, which appeared to be gemstones. Natsumi glanced up and went wide eyed, struggling a bit in her restraints. All they could hear were muffled noises, since she couldn't speak.

"Natsumi!" Akito yelled, running forward.

"Hold it right there!" a voice boomed. Akito froze, as did the other two. Three men walked out from the shadowed area behind the girls. "Well, well, well." The center man said. His hair was an odd yellow, obviously dyed that way. The other two were a dark haired man and a lighter brunette. "I'm only slightly impressed it took you such a short amount of time to find us."

"Yeah we've been waiting for you." The darker one snickered.

"Let them go before I kill you." Akito threatened, his eyes bleeding red.

The lighter brunette wagged his finger. "Ah, ah, ah. Change those eyes back pretty boy, before I find the mind to let off the hidden explosives and kill them before you can even blink." He threatened. Grudgingly, Akito did as he was told.

Kyo stepped forward. "What the hell do you want?" he asked, relieved to see Satomi alive but still worried for her.

"No need to be so rude boys. Let us introduce ourselves. My name is Aiken." The blonde bowed, and then gestured to the brunette beside him, who was standing near Satomi. "This is Kein. And this is Rishu." He pointed to the other, darker haired man beside Minako. "And we are more than considerate to your feelings. This must be a terrible predicament. I mean…all of them are so beautiful."

"So we're going to let you pick one to save. Whichever you choose, we will release from her bonds." Kein smirked. "No strings attached."

Toshiro and Kyo stopped on either side of Akito. They looked at one another and then back to the three men.

"Natsumi."

"Minako."

"Satomi."

They all looked at one another once more and the glaring contest began. "Of course we're going to pick Minako, she's delicate and too innocent to be left in the hands of these men a second longer." Toshiro argued quietly.

"No, we're going to pick Natsumi. Because once she's free we can just attack them and set the other two free." Akito said.

Kyo held up his hands. "Look, I'm the one who's getting married soon. I think Satomi should be freed so that I can experience the joys of wedlock. Meaning sex."

"Oh please." Akito rolled his eyes. "Your relationship is not based on love, mine and Toshiro's are, so just shut up." He looked at the redhead. "We're freeing Natsumi."

"No, we're freeing Minako. She doesn't deserve this kind of treatment." He glared at them both. Kyo and Akito stood side by side and glared Toshiro down.

"And Satomi and Natsumi do?" Kyo asked harshly.

"Blondie has a point you know." Akito said, crossing his arms.

Toshiro ignored the two and faced the three men once more. "We pick Minako." He said. Kyo shoved the redhead aside.

"No we don't!" he yelled at them.

Akito sighed and looked back at Natsumi, catching something in her gaze. She shook her head stiffly and even from this distance he could see the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. The cloth over her mouth seemed to be moving as if she were slowly trying to get it off. It finally slipped just enough so it was only on her chin and she yelled out. "No! Akito you can't-" she started screaming out in agony. It looked exactly like when she had been struck with lightning. She thrashed around and then fell limp with her hair covering her face.

His eyes narrowed. Something was up. Now that he looked closer, those ropes weren't chakra infused or meant to drain chakra. So why weren't any of them trying to break free? He knew Natsumi and Satomi could do it easily, and given enough time Minako could come up with a way to get out. So why weren't they?

Something in Natsumi's gaze was telling him not to pick her. And that jewel on her forehead was oddly suspicious, probably the cause of whatever it was that had hurt her. He looked at Toshiro. "I say we pick Minako."

"What? Why are you on his side all of a sudden?" Kyo asked, crossing his arms.

"Because he isn't as annoying as you are, you big idiot." The Uchiha responded. If his suspicions were correct, whoever they picked had a catch along with them. And out of the three, Minako was the least threatening, so subduing her should be easy. In theory.

"Done." Rishu threw a kunai up to the root, slicing the rope holding the Uzumaki. She dropped to the floor, landing on her feet. The dark haired man took off her binds, reaching up and pulling down her cloth gag. She looked at the other men, her cerulean gaze unsure, before her attention turned to Toshiro, and she smiled, breaking into a run towards her love. Toshiro smiled, hurrying forward to meet her, but grew confused when she drew her arm back and pointed two of her fingers.

Minako's eyes widened. "Toshiro, move!" she warned, making a jab at his shoulder.

The redhead dodged the attack just in time, but had to evade once more since she changed her movement and came after him again. "Minako! What are you doing?"

"I don't know!" The ebony haired woman cried out, continuing to attack him. But unlike when she and Toshiro had fought before, her movements were with purpose, and there was no hint of hesitation when she aimed to harm him. "I'm not doing any of this!" she told him, her byakugan activating.

His light jade depths shot to her forehead, where a sapphire gem shone brightly. "That thing on your forehead." he said, moving once more to avoid a fatal blow to his heart. "It's controlling you."

"Bravo." Kein chuckled, watching them with amusement. "Surprised you could figure that out so fast."

Aiken nodded, pulling out two kunai. "Now…so you two aren't bored." He threw the kunai up and cut the ropes of the twins, causing them to fall and land. With their bonds loose, they untied their hands, pulling off the cloth around their mouths.

"Oh my God." Kyo swallowed, since they both straightened and looked over.

"Don't worry, I've fought Natsumi before." Akito said. "But you're going to have to fight Satomi. Do you think you can do that?" he looked over at the blonde, who shook his head.

"I can't hurt her. I won't." he said.

Aiken smirked. "Then you die." He said, before the pink haired women attacked.

Natsumi was before Akito in a millisecond, her glowing green hand aimed straight for his heart. Tears gathered in her eyes, "I'm sorry Akito." She whispered, the ruby on her forehead beginning to glisten.

He moved out of the way, his sharingan already activated. "Don't be." he said, moving into a taijutsu pose. "I understand."

"I love you." she said before her sand shot out around her and began to attack him from all directions. "But I'm losing my will…and it's overcoming me."

"Never forget. I love you." Akito told her as he continued to dodge the sand particles. "I love you so much."

One stray tear slid down her cheek, "I know." The next thing Akito felt was Natsumi's leg slamming against the side of his head, knocking him off balance. He grimaced, trying to right his footing before she could hit him again. She moved to hit him once more, and he blocked her, trying to make a grab for the gem on her head. If he could get that off her, then she would be freed, and they could get out of there.

Unfortunately, his reach brought him into her zone and her sand wrapped around his legs, grabbing him and throwing him against the wall as she followed after him. Meanwhile, Satomi thrust her fists forward, trying to land a hit on Kyo. "I'm sorry." She said, a frown on her face as she tried once more.

"I'm going to save you Satomi." Kyo said, ducking out of the way of one of her deadly fists. "I promise."

"I don't think there is a way to save me." she replied sadly, slamming her fist into the ground as she broke up the earth and shot it towards him. "This jutsu…is one of the strongest I have ever seen."

"I don't care, I'm not going to quit." The blonde told her, leaping and twisting out of the way of the flying earth.

The elder twin glanced back, before shooting forward and grabbing Kyo's wrist. She threw him towards the center of the room, causing him to slide to a stop on his back. Akito slammed on top of him as Natsumi landed another kick on his chest. Before they could get up, Toshiro landed on top of them, unable to move. Minako was beside them, jabbing the remaining two with her gentle fist attack.

Kyo and Akito gasped out, since the pain that shot through their bodies was immense. Sand wrapped around the three, tying them together with the grains so their backs were against one another. Natsumi and Minako went back to the men that were controlling them, while Satomi watched the three closely.

"Tomi!" Toshiro begged, feeling weak from his chakra block. "Please! Please fight it!"

"Natsumi!" Akito called out to her, struggling against his holds.

Rishu smirked. "It's no use you know. They belong to us now." He said, casually wrapping his arm around Minako's shoulders.

Kein nodded to Satomi, before they all headed out of the cave through the back entrance. Satomi followed, but stopped before looking back. "I'm trying to fight it." she told them, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her hand formed into a fist and she slammed it into the wall, causing the whole cavern to rumble and begin to collapse. "Please find us." She said, her arm struggling to move. But she slammed it into the wall once more, sending another crack up the opposite side, stopping the previous one from reaching them.

The intersecting cracks toppled down just in front of them, hardly missing, but closed off the escape the men and the girls had disappeared down. When the dust settled, Akito sighed. "This…is really starting to piss me off." he said.

"But it's not hopeless." Toshiro smiled slightly. "She didn't kill us, even though I think she was supposed to."

"How are we even supposed to get those things off of their foreheads?" Kyo asked, trying to look back at the two.

The redhead shrugged. "I don't know."

"We're just going to have to figure it out when we find them again." The Uchiha said.

The three let out a collective sigh, each trying to think of a way to get out of their predicament, and save their women. They just hoped they were able to do it soon, because time was not on their side.


End file.
